Wavin’s Q-Bic infiltration and attenuation systems stand the test of time

Wavin designs products with the future in mind. We know that climate change is affecting weather patterns across the globe. In Europe, pluvial floods have been increasing in frequency and intensity. Cities and businesses are quickly coming to the realization that measures need to be taken – to become climate-resilient. A key component of that is stormwater management. Back in 2006, Norway’s Sandefjord Football Club decided to build a stadium. And stormwater management was at the top of the agenda. Their forward-thinking decisions have paid off.

10 Years ago – 2007

When Norway’s Sandefjord Football Club was granted permission to build its new stadium 'Komplett Arena' in 2006, stormwater management was an important requirement. Water from the football pitch, the stands, the parking lots and the surrounding buildings had to be diverted and several digestion plants were built. In one place, a traditional puck (stones and rocks) basin would be too bulky, according to contractor Carl C. Fon. rel="noopener noreferrer" Therefore, they chose Wavin Q-Bic infiltration/attenuation units because they only take about 30 percent of the space – compared to what a puck basin requires. During a cold January day in 2007, the contractor mounted the 1060 Q-Bic units. Wavin delivered a very large water reservoir – with a completely new type of unit, where the installation could be inspected, flushed and vacuumed. The length was 31.8 meters, the width was 12 meters and the height was 1.2 meters. Furthermore, the gross volume was 458m3 and the total cavity, 435 m3. The facility was placed under the parking lot. Wavin's technical department in the Netherlands utilized a computer program to perform the mechanical load calculations and to remove components for the magazine.

Seven trailers transported the products from Germany. Representatives from Wavin in Sweden, Denmark and Norway, as well as Wavin in the Netherlands, came to participate in the project. The assembly of 1060 Q-Bic units at the Sandefjord stadium took just one working day to complete. On the morning of the start of the installation, the weather was ice cold. At night the pump, which removed the water from the pit, had stopped. And there was some ice at one end of the pit that had to be removed in the morning. The foundation consisted of a 15 cm thick layer of finpuck. A powerful geotextile weighing 280g / m2 was then laid out. The first unit was laid at about 11:00 am. As the day progressed, assembly work was largely carried out in collaboration between our team and Wavin. At 4.30 pm, 760 units were fitted. A truck shipped units (16 pcs per pallet) to the trench. The excavator placed the units on the foundation. The clippings and stacks of pins * lay in small cardboard boxes. Some bar cassettes, others mounted them. The following day, the last unit was installed.

*Note: As we continue to improve our systems, at this time the clippings and pins are a thing of the past - with the new Q-Bic Plus system installation is now twice as fast.

10 Years later – 2017

And ten years later, Wavin contacted operator Lasse Strindberg Knudsen to inspect the plant. He was very surprised: "I was not involved in this process at the time, so I did not suspect that this 30-meter long and 12-meter wide infiltration basin was built up of Wavin plastic units," he admits.  “I thought that this basin also consisted of puck.”

Follow the inspection camera alongside and across the Q-Bic field of the Sandefjord Football Club. How does it look 10 years after installation?

How does it look 10 years after installation?

According to Lasse Strindberg Knutsen, Operator Komplett Arena "The Q-Bic field has worked smoothly and done its job without any supervision these 10 years. We didn't experience stormwater issues in this area after the infiltration field was installed, and there have been no indications of movement in the ground either. And despite the fact that the cover is not very thick," Strindberg Knudsen emphasized, "it's nice to see how reliable this Q-Bic system is. We are very pleased."

''Ten years of operation without any problems is great," he concludes, “I'm more worried about our other puck basins as they will probably clog-up eventually. So, at one point or another they have to be excavated and replaced.”

How to install a Q-Bic system that withstands the test of time

It’s all about the efficient use of space which, in turn, minimizes construction costs. Strong structural elements, which guarantee longevity. So, here’s the “secret sauce”….

Installation of the Wavin Q-Bic system

Rest assured that Wavin will provide you with detailed instructions on how you can build a solution with Q-Bic or the new Q-Bic Plus system that will keep living up to its promise for many years to come. As an example, check out these installation designs from a recent project in Waregem Belgium.

Download more design drawings here:

The whole idea behind creating sustainable stormwater management solutions for the 21st century and beyond is to ensure that we, as a continent (and, as a world community) are climate-resilient. The atmosphere is changing. And we must change along with it. That’s why, Wavin designs products that can withstand the test of time. For more information on our innovative infiltration and attenuation systems, please contact your local Wavin office. Follow us on Facebook – for the latest news from Wavin.

Make sure to download our Urban Stormwater Management toolkit!