When it came to the management and control of surface water run-off at a caravan showground in Hull, StormCrate55, an engineered Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) from Brett Martin was up for the challenge. The static caravan manufacturer’s facility features a newly refurbished showground where customers can view a huge range of homes.
Having previously used Stormcrate55 to successfully manage stormwater on a number of other projects, installer Catalogue Engineering undertook the installation for groundworks contractor Evabuild in order to reduce the risk of flooding on this trafficked site during periods of heavy rainfall.
Manufactured from 100% recycled plastic, 523m³ of the StormCrate55 modular units were clipped together in a brick bond pattern to create a three tiered underground attenuation tank. With a loading capability of 562kN per m³, their high strength provided more than enough vertical strength for this tarmacked area at the showground. For the installation team, the lightweight crates, weighing only 15.5kg each, were easy to handle and fit together using the connectors and shear pins supplied.
“A large amount of crates were required for this sprawling trafficked site,” commented Luke Dekonski of Catalogue Engineering. “The crates are easy to install and very well made, with no sharp corners so there is very low risk of puncturing the impermeable lining, reducing our risk when offering a warranty installation.”
In the event of heavy rains, StormCrate55 has a high void ratio of 95%, which means that the units are highly efficient at storing up to 237.5 litres of water. On this project, the StormCrate55 system was surrounded with an impermeable membrane to create a sealed underground tank. The outlet from this tank is then controlled to facilitate a slow release of the stored water back into the drainage system over a longer period.
For infiltration applications, StormCrate55 can also be wrapped in a permeable geotextile, material which allows stored water to slowly seep into the surrounding ground and back into the water table over a period of time.
“The StormCrate units are also incredibly versatile which means the structure depth can be varied dependent on the application,” added Luke Dekonski.
Suitable for installation in landscaped areas, pedestrianised spaces, playgrounds, parking areas, driveways and access zones, StormCrate55 is seen as one way of addressing the problem of flooding and avoiding using an overloaded sewer system. The use of StormCrate55 has ensured this showground will have a proven rainwater attenuation solution for the long term, reducing demand on the built drainage and the sewerage infrastructure.
