Encat was given a real challenge when approached by a Council to fix their ongoing problem with broken stormwater drain lintels situated on a corner. The particular site they wanted a solution for had loader trucks that regularly ‘clipped’ the corner or even went over the lintel with their back tyres, putting the concrete under massive stress. With such high loads, the concrete lintels were crumbling and breaking and requiring regular repair. In fact, Council had been forced to replace this lintel 3 times in three years. With this particular corner situated on the Princes Highway and repairs taking 2 days on average, the impacts on traffic flows, and the significant costs incurred by not only the labour but by traffic flow management requirements, this problem was really starting to give the Council a headache!
Encat solved Council’s problems by designing a steel lintel that can handle the truck wheel loads without crumbling or collapsing and also has an anti-lift feature that withstands the enormous lifting pressure experienced when truck wheels rub right against the lintel. It is simple to install, with installation only taking around one hour and the finished product only costing approximately half of the concrete version. With a durable, galvanized long-life finish that will not rust or weaken and an anti-slip checkerplate top, Encat’s patented steel lintel represents a major step forward for Council’s road and kerb maintenance program. It is important to know that the one that can be seen in the photo was installed over 3 years ago and has since required zero repairs and has sustained zero damage!
