Your outdoor landscaping makes your first impression, it creates a relaxation zone for your family, and it can boost your property values. Landscaping involves lots of different elements including concrete. Hi, my name is Diane, and I love landscaping. However, I also love patios, magical pathways, sports courts and other concrete creations. Want help creating your fabulous outdoor space? Want help with concrete ideas in particular? Then, I would love to be there for you. I have a keen eye for decoration and have helped a lot of friends create their outdoor areas. I hope my tips and ideas can help you.
Kerbs help preserve roads by channeling rain water into storm drains. Without kerbs, rainwater runs to the sides of the road where it may degrade its edges and cause the road to wear down prematurely. However, kerbs cannot do the work of drainage on their own.
If you are a city manager, a developer or anyone else who is charged with setting up or maintaining kerbs along roads, here are several things you can do to support your kerbs.
1. Make sure that the pitch of the road encourages water to run to the sides.
As a drainage tool, kerbs rely on the fact that water should run from the middle of the road to its edges. If this doesn't happen, the water will pool on the middle of the road, making the kerbs unnecessary. To ensure the water runs to the sides, make sure that the road is slightly higher in its center than along its sides.
2. Slant the area next to the kerbs.
In addition to ensuring the road has the right pitch, you need to ensure that the grass or walking path next to the kerb is also slightly slanted. Ideally, it should have enough slant so that water rushes over the kerb and along it to the storm drain. You don't want the water to pool in the surface next to and above the kerb. Water pooling in this area may seep into the ground surrounding the kerb, causing destabilizing stress.
3. Keep the storm drains clean.
Once the roadway and the kerbs have been designed and installed, make sure that the storm drains are cleaned on a regular basis. If they are blocked by leaves, grass clippings or other debris, the water won't be able to drain into them, and it will pool next to the kerbs, potentially eroding them or wearing down the concrete.
If water pools in that area, it can make it very dangerous for drivers. Essentially, if they try to brake and their outer wheels are in a large puddle on the side of the road, it will hamper their baking ability and potentially cause an accident.
4. Maintain the joint between the kerbs and the road.
Finally, you have to pay special attention to the joint between the kerbs and the road. This is especially important if the kerbs are concrete and the road is asphalt. Both of these materials react differently to temperature shifts. As a result, cracks may appear between these two materials. If rainwater seeps into this area, it can cause even more damage and undermine the entire purpose of your drainage efforts.
Want to learn more about supporting your kerbs and improving drainage? Contact a kerbing contractor.
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11 July 2016
