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Accu-Rise
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Valve Box System Technical Drawing |
Utilities accesses, especially valve box systems, are a major consideration and constraint in efficient paving and road building. Matching a utility valve box access casting elevation to the finished elevation of the HMA is a major challenge. Contractors face significant work and expense to achieve proper valve box positioning, soil compaction and road surface finishing. It's a multi-step process that adds time and cost to every public works job.
Revolutionary materials and process
The Accu-Rise Valve Box System (patent pending) revolutionizes road building and road maintenance because it combines three major breakthrough technologies:
- An access casting and plug system manufactured from Argonics’ proprietary blend of industrial polyurethane – polyurethane proven to be durable in roadway use for more than eleven years
- A quick casting customization process completed at the point of installation
- A quick-change finishing gasket
When combined together, this installation process yields a reduction in time and in paving processes and up to an 80% savings in future maintenance.
Compaction Perfection
Adequate compaction around valve box castings is an age-old problem that poses significant challenges in achieving long-term durability of a paved surface. Traditional processes require multiple steps of manual work including:
- careful valve box positioning and elevation adjustments
- manual raking and compacting around the access casting
- and the feathering of the final course of HMA immediately surrounding the casting
When done even to the best of a contractor’s abilities, this process leaves a significant amount of room or nonconformance. The result is an installation unit and surrounding zone that must be held exempt from normal ride-control measurement and standards.
The Accu-Rise Solution
With the Accu-Rise process and system, compactions are carried out using standard heavy compaction equipment, resulting in compaction densities not otherwise achievable. None of the underlying support casings or materials needs to be disturbed with the Accu-Rise System. And, in the event of long-term shrinkage and settling, simple, five-minute micro adjustments can be made with simple hand tools.
The Accu-Rise process enables the paver to place multiple layers of HMA quickly, for dramatically more efficient project management. Tack coats can be eliminated. Remobilization costs can be eliminated. Overall costs are lowered. The system delivers a final product with maximum compaction, the fastest install and finishing process, and the lowest long-term maintenance cost in the industry.
The Accu-Rise System is the new standard and best-practice for managing utility access in road construction.
Learn more about the benefits of the Accu-Rise Valve Box System.
Installation Process
- Upper section of the metal casting is outfitted with a locating flag and set below final gravel grade. The desired layers of HMA are applied and compacted by passing directly over the metal casting/flag sets.
- An access hole is created to the metal castings below, fitting the opening with a polyurethane sleeve.
- High-performance grout is used to finish the sleeve.
- Installation is finished with a matching polyurethane plug.
The result is a reduction in time and labor for the overall paving process.