The recent rash of torrential rainstorms across western Europe and indeed around the world has cast a bright spotlight on the serious problem of intensified flooding events.There are actually many preventative steps that can be taken to ensure that we remain safe. Here are ten solid initiatives, just to get the conversation started.

We’ve crossed the seasonal threshold from spring into summer and urban areas throughout Europe are feeling the heat more than ever. The densely-populated urban landscape of asphalt, brick, metal and dark rooftops soaks up an enormous amount of energy from sunlight – reflecting even more light. This energy absorption leads to an “urban heat island” – where cities experience higher-than-normal heat temperatures, as compared to surrounding areas. Climate change will cause this heat island effect to intensify in the years and decades to come. Wavin is a serious influencer in the movement towards urban climate resilience and so we’ve put together some tips on how to reduce heat stress in cities and towns across the continent.

Problem solving is something that Wavin has been doing for decades. Our innovations in technology are solutions to challenges faced by our customers, our communities and our municipalities. So, when we observed how frost damage from extreme winter weather caused pavements to swell and crack, sinking the manholes, we knew how to mitigate the problem.

Winter, the coldest of all seasons, is a beautiful time of year – a winter wonderland of snow and ice. But when everything melts, the frost and moisture damage to city streets is not very pretty. Asphalt pavements have a tendency to expand and contract with extreme weather. And so does the ground underneath. In extremely cold weather, when water gets into the ground beneath the pavement, it can freeze into ice which, in turn, will lift the road’s surface. When this happens, we begin to see potholes, pavement cracks and sewer manholes sinking below street level.

Although some of this asphalt erosion does, in fact, settle down after the thaw, most of it causes moderate-to-severe road damage. And this means costly repairs. The cost to repair damaged manholes and potholes can be quite steep. Municipalities bear the financial burden of road maintenance and repair, while the city dwellers must suffer the cost of damage to their cars (from street cracks and potholes) and the inconvenience of traffic congestion and delays (from road construction).  Suddenly, the beauty of winter has turned into a beast… of road erosion and damage. 

 

 

Breakthrough sewer technology

A corrugated shaft pipe is nothing without its “missing link” – the manhole and/or inspection chamber. Did you know that Wavin produced the World’s First industrial manufactured plastic manholes and chambers? Corrugated shaft pipes are utilised for both manholes, the systems  used for real man-access (>800mm), as well as for our smaller inspection chambers (315-600mm). Since Wavin Tegra manholes are approximately 90% lighter than the cumbersome concrete manholes, they are much easier to handle and install. Additionally, a nearly step-less height adjustment can be made to the corrugated shaft pipe, to adapt either the manhole or inspection chamber to the required installation depth. The advanced design of the rib structure and shape of the Wavin Tegra’s cone gives the required strength and stability against heavy traffic load. Wavin's  manholes and inspection chambers are a contractor’s dream: easy to install, easy to access, versatile and flexible. And above all – durable. An ideal solution for public sewer systems.

So when it comes to smoothing out the bumps in the road, our corrugated plastic shaft pipes, manholes and inspection chambers will withstand whatever weather challenge Mother Nature throws our way. And as for the municipalites and their citizens: the end of winter will no longer mean the beginning of the road construction season. It will simply mean the beginning of yet another beautiful season – Spring.

For more information on our piping systems and manholes/inspection chambers, please contact your local Wavin office.

Wavin Revit content is so accurate that it allows one-to-one transition from the 3D model to the real build. Our Revit packages have integrated intelligent assistance which allows Revit modelers to insert accurate bends which can be ordered and installed as easy as generic Revit bends in your BIM model. This gives users the great advantage of being able to generate a very accurate BOM (bill of materials). And that’s just one of the many features of our Revit content packages. As an excellent example, check out how to insert and validate Wavin bends into Revit projects:

Insert actual bends in record time

Standard Revit piping functionality allow you to draw bends with almost any angle. Not so with Wavin’s Revit content packages. The integrated intelligent assistance provides impeccable checks and balances, so as to only allow you to draw the bends at angles that exist within the product portfolio used, thus preventing potential inaccuracies in the pipe design. And you don’t have to refer to a product catalogue. In this tutorial video, we show you how simple it is to change the type of bend, as well as how to reverse the direction of a bend. We demonstrate, for example, how a 90° bend can be quickly and accurately changed to an assembly of two 45° bends. We also show you how to validate your view, giving you the benefit of seeing the accurate installation model level of detail of your project. Now it’s your turn to try it out.

Download your Wavin Revit packages now

The Netherlands is known for thinking "outside-of-the-box" when it comes to finding creative, sustainable solutions in road technology. In November 2014, the world's first solar bike path was created – a 70-meter stretch of solar-powered road linking the Amsterdam suburbs of Krommenie and Wormerveer. And now three industry giants are joining forces to further develop the concept of a plastic road. The idea is to replace asphalt (traditionally used in road construction) with recycled plastic from the ocean.

The project is being spearheaded by VolkerWessels' enterprise, KWS, the largest road construction company in the Netherlands – in collaboration with Wavin, a world leader in plastic pipe systems, and oil and gas company Total. Together, we will combine knowledge, experience, and resources to build the first road made from 100% recycled plastic.

The birth of an idea

The PlasticRoad concept is the brainchild of KWS. The company took a look at the road-related problems that cities and urban areas face – such as the erosion of roads from weather and flooding, as well as the continuous need for maintenance and repair. These issues are costly and cause frustration, not to mention the potential safety issues due to potholes and road cracks. Another concern is that oil, the main component of asphalt, will become a scarce commodity in the not too distant future. 
 
So, the idea of a road made... not from asphalt... but from 100% recycled plastic waste from the ocean begins to make sense. Concerns about noise reduction, water permeability and road flatness are effectively eliminated with the PlasticRoad concept. Additionally, switching from asphalt to plastic roads will likely reduce the carbon dioxide emissions significantly.

A collaborative effort to build a sustainable prototype

In order to take the idea to the next level, KWS decided to seek out partners who could contribute to developing a prototype. Wavin, with its knowledge base and expertise in recycled plastic pipe systems, is a natural choice as partner. Total rounds up the tri-company alliance. For all three, sustainability is at the heart of their corporate philosophy.

The amazing advantages of a plastic road

Plastic is simply much more sustainable. In a road construction, it can allow for power generation, reduced road noise, heated roads, and modular pre-fabricated construction. It also offers a hollow space which can efficiently be used for pipes, cables and rainwater. Essentially maintenance-free, PlasticRoad will not corrode and is weather-resistant. It can withstand temperatures as low as -40⁰C and as high as 80⁰C. It's lifespan will exceed and asphalt road... three times over!

From the ocean to terra firma

The concept of PlasticRoad is completely in sync with environmental initiatives like Cradle to Cradle (C2C) and The Ocean Cleanup. Plastic from the ocean is recycled and made into prefabricated road parts that can be installed in one piece – making the installation easy, quick and lightweight. Quality control suddenly becomes much more simplified.

Next steps for PlasticRoad

The concept still needs to undergo further testing, to see how it performs under different conditions. The goal is to have the first outdoor road test by the end of 2017. Wavin is excited to be an integral part of this project and delighted to be working alongside KWS and Total. We will certainly keep you posted on any new developments.
 
Here's to a greener future for road technology!