Motorways and major A roads

ACO has a number of high-capacity drainage solutions to ensure road surfaces remain as free from standing water as possible on these key strategic roads and trunk roads. H Range and RoadDrain are monocast products that have been developed specifically for the highways sector with F 900 load class for dealing with heavy-goods traffic.

For highways infrastructure projects where BIM (Building Information Modelling) Digital Design is used, ACO has produced Revit & Civil 3D models of the range to support the most advanced working methods in creating and mapping the network.

On smart motorways we see ACO KerbDrain being used for ERA’s (Emergency Refuge areas), Narrow access zones (under bridges and underpasses), as well as at maintenance crossovers.

Case study:

• ACO KerbDrain provide fast, efficient drainage along various points of the A453 newly widened carriageway.

Local highways / urban roads

An ideal solution for these roads is ACO KerbDrain, a combined drainage and kerb product that is available in both half battered and splayed options, depending on location of application. Any polluted water runoff can be managed by the ACO QuadraCeptor, which is an effective cleaning solution that removes heavy particles, silt, and dissolved materials, such as heavy metals.

Case study:

• ACO KerbDrain provides solution for Derby city centre transport improvement scheme to complete inner ring road.

Footpaths

One of the ways pedestrian safety is considered in ACO drainage for road network footpaths is by offering HeelGuard™ gratings, the 10mm slot widths are a more ‘heel-friendly’ option for footpaths. These are fitted to drainage channels such as ACO Multiline Sealin and MultiDrain MD or MultiDrain PPD.

Case study:

• ACO KerbDrain & RoadDrain help alleviate sustainability threatened by traffic & safety barriers in Blackpool.

Highways and conservation

ACO has been involved in the integration of highways and conservation, along with green corridors for many years and has a number of specific solutions to help animals coexist alongside the road network. Seasonal migration in particular, between land habitats and vital spawning grounds, offers dangers when road networks cross these routes.

The ACO guide wall and climate tunnels help guide and protect small animals around and under roads and ACO also has refuges and nest boxes to support environmental considerations as a part of new road projects.

Case study:

• ACO Wildlife Climate Tunnel provides perfect ecological solution at Castle Hill project in Ebsfleet Valley
• View the ACO Wildlife range

Structures

In the Hindhead Tunnel in Surrey, ACO KerbDrain has been installed on each 1.8km twin-bore tunnel carriageway. The fact that it carries the BSI Kitemark gave the design engineers absolute assurance that KerbDrain met the latest Highways Agency requirements.

Other solutions include ACO Deckline, where the product’s shallow invert channel drainage system make it ideally suited for use in structural slabs or where excavation depth is limited.

Case study:

• ACO KerbDrain provides a highway drainage system meeting performance and environmental project targets in Surrey

Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS)

ACO have developed their own unique model to reflect adoption of SuDS thinking – Collect, Clean, Hold and Release – which embraces the entire surface water management cycle, from the point where rain lands right through to where it re-enters the natural water environment.

Read more on SuDS

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Case study:

• ACO KerbDrain and SuDs Swale inlets used in A12 bypass installation creating sustainable highways drainage solution.

Cycle routes

Pot holes caused by standing water, and point drainage are best avoided when developing a cycle way, as both aren’t ideal for thinner tires. However if creating a truly segregated lane then some way of moving the water away is still required. ACOs KerbDrain can help take the surface water away, while leaving as much of the cycle lane for riding as possible. 

Highways Professional Development

ACO have developed Highways specific CPD content to keep those involved in the sector up to date with the latest surface water management trends. 

Accredited by the CPD Standards Office, the Highways CPD session can be delivered both in-house and as a webinar. The focus of the content is on compliance with Highways England drainage requirements and solutions, which overcome problems encountered in urban and rural highway schemes. 

• View the Highways webinar on playback
• Request a CPD session

Choosing a channel - overview of drainage selection for Civils + Infrastructure

Exploring different types of drainage systems in Civils + Infrastructure, how they can be selected appropriately, and the importance of training on specifying the correct products.

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The ACO Design Services Team is able to work closely with you through the entire airport drainage project requirements. We also offer design surface software for you to make your own calculations, as well as BIM product files to support the latest efficient project delivery methods.

• ACO Design Services
• BIM Models
• Hydraulic Design Software