Metal road plates
Metal road plates (unlike their GRP or plastic counterparts) are immensely tough and durable. Under extreme loads they can flex or deflect without breaking. They represent the strongest practicable method of bridging open excavations and trenches dug for drainage, cables, gas mains or water mains.
Steel road plates
Steel road plates also have the advantage of being able to be welded to. This can be exceptionally useful during installations where structures or barriers etc need be attached. It also allows us to permanently mark our fleet of plates to avoid loss or stealing of them.
Alternative uses for road plates
This durability means metal road plates can be installed permanently. It is a common practice where sensitive services like telecoms, high voltage cables, pressurised gas mains, live sewers, gas mains or other sensitive installations such as those found on air ports, railway lines or docks to have steel road plates used to cover them. This avoids the need to bury the services deeply as the regulations stipulate for normal soil cover depth and allows easy access when servicing or maintenance might be required. They are also an ideal solution for covering collapsed drains or manhole covers and will allow vehicles & people to cross voids safely.
Road plates for security
They can also be used by government, military, intelligence and defence operations to protect critical underground or bunkered installations against the threat of conventional and nuclear detonations or terrorist attack.
The following calculations are provided for your information and reference and should be used as a guide only.
- Weight of Road plates (Steel - Mass in KGs - nominal)
- Road plate 8 feet x 4 feet x ½ inch thickness (2.5 m x 1.25 m x 12 mm)= 290 KGs
- Road plate 8 feet x 4 feet x ¾ inch thickness (2.5 m x 1.25 m x 20 mm)= 485 KGs
- Road plate 8 feet x 4 feet x 1 inch thickness (2.5 m x 1.25 m x 25 mm)= 605 KGs
- Checker plate 4 feet x 4 feet x ¼ inch thickness (1.25 m x 1.25 m x 6 mm)= 70 KGs