Dual-purpose guardrailing solution

Reading-based Kee Klamp has demonstrated the versatility of its fittings range, helping to provide an innovative, dual-purpose guardrailing solution for Cheshire County Council.

Reading-based Kee Klamp has demonstrated the versatility of its market leading fittings range, helping to provide an innovative, dual-purpose guardrailing solution for Cheshire County Council in the refurbishment of a viaduct on St Martins Way in Chester.

The 330 metre long viaduct carries the road over private houses, businesses, a railway line, a canal, and side roads.

Renovation was required to upgrade the capability of the existing steel parapets to restrain errant vehicles involved in accidents, and minimizing any resultant damage.

The Council's designers wanted to provide a removable guardrail system within the newly cast parapet plinth to protect workmen during future maintenance such as painting and accident repairs.

Using a Type 66 Ground Socket fitting from the Kee Klamp range, this objective has been effectively realised.

Typically designed for use with removable uprights, Kee Klamp Ground Socket fittings set at 1.75m intervals along the edge of the bridge deck are now a permanent feature of the newly cast concrete plinth.

Accepting standard tube, these fittings have enabled the assembly of a temporary guardrailing structure to protect against falls from height prior to and during the installation of the new parapet posts and rails.

When maintenance is required, new tubular structures will quickly and easily be assembled and secured as needed into the Kee Klamp Ground Socket fittings, which will act as foundation points.

The project's planning supervisor, Ian Draycott, explains: "During the design of the project, as part of the CDM process, the requirement for a system to ease future maintenance was conceived, this system has also been used effectively during the construction phase to provide a temporary edge restraint".

The Type 66 Ground Socket fitting from Kee Klamp incorporates an integral set screw for easy and secure locking of the tube, eliminating the need for time consuming welding or specialist installation skills.

A standard hex ratchet and tube cutters are the only tools required to create strong, rigid structures.

This approach helps keep structure assembly time down to an absolute minimum, whilst giving excellent strength and stability.

The Ground Socket fitting can be supplied with a plug to fill in the hole when the tube is removed.

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