Pre-fabricated valve boxes

[WARose]

I have a situation where I am going to have some valve boxes that will need to have some removable covers. These things will be set in a reinforced concrete slab.

The “covers” will be picking up some pretty heavy loads (comparable to HS20 or airport type loadings). Overall dimensions are in the neighborhood of 3’x2’x3’-3” (deep).

Does anyone know of a fabricator for this purpose? The first people I thought of was Neenah & US Foundry……. but I don’t think I am seeing what I need on their on-line catalog.

 

[JAE]

My first thought was Neenah or some similar company.
Otherwise you are custom designing steel plate covers using AASHTO truck wheel loads.

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[WARose]

I think I need to just contact them and see if some of this is doable. (Also have to think about punching shear in the slab.)

By the way JAE, a guy I keep working with on this keeps throwing around the term "strongback" with this. Any idea as to what he could mean? I've heard that more with trenching than anything else....but I'm not sure exactly what it means.

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

http://www.usfoundry.com/usfoundry-products/

They have H20 and airport loading castings for both square and round.

Alternatively, look at aluminum hatches if you're using them for regular access and need something bigger/heavier-duty than a cast-iron cover. Aluminum is way more expensive though.

Ian Riley, PE, SE
Professional Engineer (ME, NH, VT, CT, MA, FL) Structural Engineer (IL, HI)
American Concrete Industries

https://americanconcrete.com/

 

[dhengr]

WARose:
Isn’t a ‘strongback’ just a reinforcement welded or cast to the underside of the grating or cover? Maybe a few steel bars 1” thk. x 3” deep x a length the fit the inside of the box. Maybe when cast they include a bulb for a larger bottom flg.

 

[JAE]

Yes - what dhengr says about strongbacks is what I would think upon hearing that term.


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