INDUSTRIE POLIECO-MPB s.r.l.

VIA E. MATTEI, 49
25046 - Cazzago San Martino (BRESCIA - ITALY)
Tel.++39 030 7758911
Fax ++39 030 7750845
e-mail: info@polieco.com
http: www.kio-polieco.com

2
POLIECO GROUP is the European leader in the production and marketing of twin wall
corrugated high-density polyethylene pipes. Production of corrugated polyethylene
cable ducts for the protection of the electric and telephone underground cables,
started in 1992, first in Italy, was flanked by the production of corrugated pipes for
non-pressurised sewage systems since 1995.

Today POLIECO GROUP is present on the international level with a variety of

production units in Italy, France, Greece and Slovakia.

In 2010, Industrie Polieco-MPB decided to develop a design for the realisation of a

road manhole cover in composite material. Road manhole covers are currently made
almost exclusively in ductile cast iron, grey cast iron or concrete. In recent years, the
European market has been invaded by cast iron products coming from Asian countries,
in certain cases with dubious quality. At the same time, small manufacturers of
manhole covers in composite material appeared on the market, who grasped the
potentialities of this material. Today, some of these manufacturers have developed
production methods only on a craftsmanship level and above all without any guarantee
of repeatability of the load resistance features, while others are proposing their
products only for niche applications.

In February 2012, Industrie Polieco-MPB introduced KIO® to the market, the manhole
cover in composite material, in classes and sizes similar to those of cast iron covers
and foreseen by the standard of reference EN124. The KIO® manhole cover was
certified in reference to standard EN 124 in March 2012.

The organisation of Industrie Polieco-MPB is based on the efficiency of Management

Systems, mostly integrated one with another and consolidated in all company areas,
developed and subsequently certified in reference to international standards ISO
9001:2008 (Quality Management System), ISO 14001:2004 (Environmental
Management System) and OHSAS 18001:2007 (Occupational Health & Safety
Management System).

This technical manual, intended for designers and public and private users, supplies
the data relative to the product, to the raw materials used, to the normative reference,
to the tests conducted on the manhole cover as well as highlighting its advantages
respect to cast iron covers.

Cazzago San Martino, September 2016

3
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ______________________________________________ 6

CHAPTER 2. COMPOSITE MATERIAL _______________________________________ 7

2. 1 − PRODUCTION METHOD __________________________________________________ 8

CHAPTER 3. THE PRODUCT _______________________________________________ 9

3. 1 − THE PRODUCT __________________________________________________________ 9
3. 2 − ADVANTAGES OF MANHOLE COVER IN COMPOSITE MATERIAL _________ 11
3. 2. 1 − LIGHTWEIGHT AND EASY TO HANDLE ________________________________________ 11
3. 2. 2 − RESISTANCE TO CORROSION AND TO CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES __________________ 12
3. 2. 3 − NOISE LIMIT ______________________________________________________________ 12
3. 2. 4 − ELECTRIC AND THERMAL INSULATION _______________________________________ 12
3. 2. 5 − PERMEABILITY TO ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS ________________________________ 13
3. 2. 6 − RESPECT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT ___________________________________________ 14
3. 2. 7 − THEFT PREVENTION ________________________________________________________ 15
3. 2. 8 − CUSTOMISATIONS _________________________________________________________ 15

CHAPTER 4. NORMATIVE REFERENCE ____________________________________ 16

4. 1 − MARKING ______________________________________________________________ 16

CHAPTER 5. LABORATORY TESTS _________________________________________ 18

5. 1 − PERMANENT SET _____________________________________________________________ 18
5. 2 − LOAD BEARING CAPACITY _____________________________________________________ 19
5. 3 − DEFLECTION UNDER LOAD ____________________________________________________ 19
5. 4 − CREEP RESISTANCE __________________________________________________________ 19
5. 5 − RESISTANCE TO FATIGUE _____________________________________________________ 19
5. 6 − IMPACT RESISTANCE _________________________________________________________ 21
5. 7 − EFFECT OF HEATING__________________________________________________________ 21
5. 8 − TESTS CHARACTERISING THE COMPOSITE MATERIAL USED _______________________ 21
5. 9 − COMPATIBILITY OF SEATINGS _________________________________________________ 22
5. 10 − PULL-OUT TEST _____________________________________________________________ 22
5. 11 − SKID RESISTANCE ___________________________________________________________ 23
5. 12 − CHILD SAFETY ______________________________________________________________ 23
5. 13 − REACTION TO FIRE __________________________________________________________ 23

6 − CERTIFICATION______________________________________________________ 25

4
CHAPTER 7. INSTALLATION ______________________________________________ 28
7. 1 − CHOICE OF THE TYPE OF MANHOLE COVER ____________________________ 28
7. 2 − CHOICE OF INSTALLATION MATERIAL _________________________________ 30
7. 3 − NEW INSTALLATIONS __________________________________________________ 30
7. 4 − RESTORATION WORK __________________________________________________ 32
7. 5 − MAINTENANCE_________________________________________________________ 34

5
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION
The search for the lower weight of a product, the manhole cover, which we’re used to
considering necessarily heavy; lower weight where high mechanical resistance and durability
over time are required: the innovative KIO® manhole cover invalidates what is usually
standard to make life easier: simplified handling, installation and maintenance operations,
higher number of transportable pieces on a load, lower environmental impact, excellent
mechanical properties and resistance to chemical agents.

In recent decades, the use of composite material has established itself in the aeronautical
and automotive industry and has spread to several sectors thanks to the combination of light
weight, resistance and durability beyond traditional materials (cement and ferrous materials).

Since 2012, Industrie Polieco-MPB has developed and produced

the manhole cover in composite material, one-of-a-kind in the world.

6
CHAPTER 2. COMPOSITE MATERIAL
Composite materials are the combination of at least two components, chemically different
one from another, characterised by chemical-physical properties which cannot be found in
the individual materials making them up. In particular, compared to traditional materials,
composite materials are at the same time sturdy and lightweight, have ideal resistance to
corrosion and chemical agents and a high thermal and electric insulation capacity.

The composite material used to manufacture the KIO® manhole cover is KINEXTTM. This
material consists of a reinforcement represented by long fibres appropriately distributed
inside a matrix in thermosetting resin. Thermosetting resins are polymers which, once
produced, cannot be melted or dissolved. This feature comes from the molecular formation,
during the production process, of a three-dimensional grid, held together by strong covalent
bonds, which make the process irreversible.

The formulation of the thermosetting resin used to manufacture KIO® was developed to
enhance the mechanical properties of the finished part (both in terms of load resistance and
impact resistance) and to make it ideal to process.

The reinforcement fibre is glass fibre: the degree selected for KIO®, respect to traditional
glass fibre, is characterised by excellent mechanical and electric properties, better resistance
to acid corrosion, better resistance to high and low temperatures and ideal behaviour to
stress-corrosion cracking.

Glass fibre is one of the most well known reinforcing materials, widely used for the
production of composite materials. Common experience tells us that monolithic glass is very
fragile due to the great number of crystallisation defects which act as micro fractures and
stress concentration areas. Whereas if glass is spun to diameters lower than microns it loses
its fragile property becoming a material with high mechanical resistance and resilience: these
features are maintained even at very high temperatures.

Table 1 below lists some typical properties of the glass fibres used to manufacture the KIO®
manhole cover.

Filament density 2.6 g/cm3

Ultimate tensile stress 3000 ÷ 3700 MPa
Strain elongation 4.,2 ÷ 4.5%
Young’s Modulus 72 ÷ 74 GPa
Humidity content < 0.2%
Thermal conductivity λ 1.0 W/m °K
Linear thermal expansion coefficient (between 20 and 6 * 10-6 m/m/°K
100°C)
Reaction to fire incombustible
Dielectric rigidity (glass in mass) 60 – 100 KV/mm

Table 1 – Properties of glass fibre

7
2. 1 − PRODUCTION METHOD

The choice and development of the production process are as important as the choice of the
basic materials. This is why Industrie Polieco-MPB Srl decided to use a technology for
manufacturing KIO® where the production process is fully automated and each individual
step is monitored by a control system making the product highly reproduceable,
guaranteeing the quality and performance of the finished product.

The KIO® production process guarantees ideal wettability of the fibres by the polymeric
matrix, avoids the formation of air bubbles and achieves ideal inter-laminar adhesion of the
components. In fact it is well known that the properties of composite materials, in addition to
being linked to the properties of the individual components, to their shape, concentration
and orientation, also strictly depend on their mutual interaction: the synergy between the
reinforcement and the matrix is an essential condition to achieve the desired physical-
mechanical properties.

8
CHAPTER 3. THE PRODUCT
3. 1 − THE PRODUCT

The three essential elements defining the choice of a manhole cover are the class, the clear
opening and the shape.

The choice of the correct class depends on the place of installation. The various places of
installation have been divided into groups numbered 1 to 6, described in the following Table
2 taken from the standard EN 124-1:2015 and represented in Figure 1. The third column of
this table is used as a guide for the class to use for each group. The selection of the
appropriate class is the responsibility of the designer. Where there is any doubt, the stronger
class should be selected.

Place of installation Group Class

Areas which can only be used by pedestrians and pedal Group 1 At least A15
cyclists. Test load >15 kN.
Footways, pedestrian areas and comparable areas, car parks Group 2 At least B125
or car parking decks. Test load >125 kN.
For gully tops, installed in the area of kerbside channels of Group 3 At least C250
roads which, when measured from the kerb edge, extends a
maximum of 0.5 m into the carriageway and a maximum of 0,2
m into the pedestrian area. Test load >250 kN.
Carriageways of roads (including pedestrian streets), hard Group 4 At least D400
shoulders and parking areas, for all types of road vehicles. Test
load >400 kN.
Areas imposing high wheel loads, e.g. docks, aircraft Group 5 At least E600
pavements. Test load >600 kN.
Areas imposing particularly high wheel loads, e.g. aircraft Group 6 At least F900
pavements. Test load >900 kN.

Table 2 – Place of installation

Figure 1 – Place of installation

9
The clear opening is the diameter of the largest circle that can be inscribed in the clear area
of the frame. This value is normally unambiguous for all manhole cover manufacturers. The
element which is not subject to particular specifications is the outside dimension of the cover
and above all the outside dimension of the frame. Therefore each manufacturer has different
shapes and outside dimensions of the cover and frame, making it impossible to interchange
the covers.

As far as the shape is concerned, generally the Italian market of grids and underground
works have the widespread presence of square shapes starting from the outside dimension
of the 300x300 frame and circular shapes Φ800 (minimum internal clearance of 600 mm).
Fuel service stations and purifying plants have manhole covers with even larger dimensions.
The current production of the KIO® manhole cover regards classes B125, C250 and D400.
The outside dimensions of the frame and the dimensions of the clear opening of the KIO®
manhole cover are shown in Table 3.

Frame outside Minimum cover

Manhole cover
dimensions (mm) clear opening (mm)
300 x 300 300 209
400 x 400 400 304
500 x 500 500 399
600 x 600 600 500
700 x 700 700 604
950 x 950 950 760
φ425 480 314
φ800 840 600
φ1100 1100 905

Table 3 – Size of frames and clear opening of manhole covers

The maximum overall clearance between the frame and the cover can lead to horizontal
displacement of the cover or grating in its frame. Standard EN 124-1:2015 prescribes that
the sum of the clearance between adjacent elements of the frame and grating/cover must be
less than 7 mm for a clear opening smaller than 400 mm and less than 9 mm in other cases.

In the case of class D400 manhole covers, the standard EN 124-1:2015 supplies some
guidelines relative to the frames: in particular it specifies that:
- the height of the frame must be at least 100 mm;
- the depth of insertion (distance between the top of the frame and the bottom of the
cover) must be at least 50 mm, unless the covers are secured against possible
displacements due to traffic by anchoring devices.

Along with the manufacture of the KIO® manhole cover, we also manufacture the KIO®
grating. As far as the gratings are concerned, the normative reference gives precise
parameters relative to the slots. In particular the standard EN 124-1:2015 specifies that the
slots must be designed so that the waterway area shall not be less than 30 % of the clear
area. For class C250 gratings, the parallel slots in the direction of traffic must also be from
16 to 32 mm wide and less than 170 mm long. Gratings designed with a dished surface
exceeding 6 mm are described as concave.

10
3. 2 − ADVANTAGES OF MANHOLE COVER IN COMPOSITE MATERIAL

Manhole covers in composite material have a host of advantages compared to covers already
present on the market made of cast iron or cement: some of these advantages are closely
related to the features of the raw material used, while others depend on the production
system adopted. The following are some of the advantages of manhole covers in composite
material.

3. 2. 1 − LIGHTWEIGHT AND EASY TO HANDLE

One of the main features of manhole covers in composite material is their light weight. This
property is achieved by following two paths:

- use of materials with a specific weight lighter than that of cast iron, though obviously
guaranteeing the strength features required by the standard;
- study of the geometry of the manhole cover optimised depending on the particular
production method.

This makes it possible to make the system consisting of cover and frame weigh considerably
lower than other products found on the market. Table 4 shows a comparison in kg between
the weight of the frame + cover system made of composite material and the weights of the
frame + cover system made of grey cast iron and ductile cast iron by European
manufacturers. The weight difference is beyond 70% compared to covers in grey cast iron
and beyond 65% compared to covers in ductile cast iron.

Grey Cast Iron Ductile Cast Iron Composite

B125
(kg) (kg) (kg)
300 x 300 9.00 8.20 2.00
400 x 400 15.00 12.80 3.10
500 x 500 26.00 18.20 6.00
600 x 600 40.00 29.40 9.50
700 x 700 56.00 38.80 13.20
Grey Cast Iron Ductile Cast Iron Composite
C250
(kg) (kg) (kg)
400 x 400 23.00 25.00 5.50
500 x 500 39.00 33.00 9.50
600 x 600 57.00 45.00 15.00
700 x 700 74.00 61.00 20.70

Table 4 – Weight comparison between cast iron and composite material manhole covers

The low weight considerably reduces operators’ risks during handling, installation and
subsequent maintenance of the manhole covers. The Italian Law Decree 81/08 determines
the maximum weight allowed for handling of loads in the worksite equal to 25 kg for men:
all KIO® manhole covers in composite material manufactured by Polieco up until the 700x700
C250 model are lighter than this limit. Even smaller cast iron manhole covers require the
intervention of two persons and the use of mechanical equipment to move them.

11
3. 2. 2 − RESISTANCE TO CORROSION AND TO CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES
The manhole cover in composite material is not subject to corrosion or to the attack of
chemical substances: in fact the superficial part of the cover is fully built in thermosetting
resin, resistant to acid and alkaline substances, oil, grease and hydrocarbons.

The above is based on data found in the literature and on a comprehensive study which
Industrie-Polieco – MPB conducted to directly test compatibility of KIO® manhole covers
regarding different chemical substances (mainly organic solvents, such as alcohol,
hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents, ethers). The tests were conducted by an independent
third-party laboratory by “full immersion” of the manhole cover in the chemical substance in
question with contact times of several days. Only some acids and only in a highly
concentrated solution (hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid, nitric acid) and some solvents (for
example dimethyl-formamide) can attack the outside surface of the manhole cover.

That described above, in conjunction with the impossibility of generating sparks or

condensate, make the manhole cover in composite material especially suitable to be used in
fuel dispensing plants. By now it is common practice worldwide to use manhole covers in
composite material instead of cast iron in these plants.

Corrosion resistance is especially important also in drainage or sewage systems: the meteoric
water sent through the gratings to the underground pipelines is definitely not contaminated
passing through the meshes of the grating. Lastly we emphasise the resistance of the
thermosetting resin used to salt water, a characteristic which makes the use of manhole
covers in composite material especially suitable near the sea.

All of these features make it unnecessary to paint the manhole cover in composite material,
unlike those in cast iron.

3. 2. 3 − NOISE LIMIT
Thanks to the property of the raw material used, use of a cover and frame in composite
material considerably reduces the noise of traffic or pedestrians passing over, typical of cast
iron systems and due to an imperfect coupling between the cover and frame or caused by
installation errors.

3. 2. 4 − ELECTRIC AND THERMAL INSULATION

The outer surface in thermosetting resin makes the manhole cover a perfect insulating
system, making stray voltage impossible, thus protecting pedestrians from the possibility of
accidental electric shocks due to uncovered electric wires.

The manhole cover is also a low heat conductor: specific tests carried out based on the
Italian standard UNI 7891 (Insulating materials. Determination of thermal conductivity with
the heat flux meter method) show that the coefficient of thermal conductivity of the KIO®
manhole cover at 10° C is 0.21 W/m K while at 37.5° C it is 0.23 W/m K. Data of the
literature show that pure cast iron has a coefficient of thermal conductivity of 57 W/m K at
0° C and of 55 W/m K at 100° C.

12
This means that the insulation capacity of a KIO® manhole cover in composite material is
about 250 times higher than that of a similar cover in cast iron at the same thickness.
Therefore the KIO® manhole cover put in contact with a heat source, takes much longer to
heat up respect to an analogous one in cast iron. For practical purposes, this behaviour can
be important where for example there are hot steam leaks in remote heating networks.

3. 2. 5 − PERMEABILITY TO ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS

The KIO® manhole cover has minimum interference to radio frequencies, mobile phone
signals coupled to modern transmission systems (for example counters, flow meters,
antennas) installed underground inside pits.

This assertion is backed up by a test conducted in a specialised laboratory on permeability to

electromagnetic fields in the frequency range between 433 and 1000 MHz on KIO® manhole
covers in composite material and on grey or ductile cast iron covers found on the market.
The manhole covers were placed on top of a 300 x 300 mm cement pit, covered on the sides
with a plate of material absorbing the electromagnetic fields in order to simulate the
underground effect. An antenna was placed inside powered by an amplifier which receives
the signal to be amplified from a generator. The signal emitted was then measured by a Log-
Periodic antenna on a tripod in insulating material and connected to a receiver-spectrum
analyser.

The KIO® manhole covers are more permeable to electromagnetic fields than those in grey
or ductile cast iron at all the frequencies measured (433.92, 868 and 1000 MHZ). In
particular, the ductile cast iron manhole cover mitigates the signal by a value from 7.8 to
13.6 dB more respect to the KIO® model at the same class (C250) while that in grey cast
iron mitigates from 10.4 to 20.5 dB more.

Aside from the anomalous value found at 1000 MHz and due to the tolerance of the
measuring chain (evaluated at ± 10 %) the class B125 KIO® manhole cover mitigates the
electric field less than KIO® 400 C250 by a few dB’s. It is pointed out that for all manhole
covers mitigation decreases as the frequency increases, exactly as expected.

This characteristic is fundamental in modern telecommunication networks. Industrie Polieco-

MPB was chosen by one of the most important telecommunication companies in Europe to
develop a manhole cover in composite material to be installed in city centres. An antenna
(frequency 1695-2690 MHz) is placed underneath this manhole cover connected to a base
station in the immediate vicinity. The first on-field tests conducted pointed out how in a 100
m radius around the pit, and even in the presence of buildings, the quality of the signal is
optimal.

Another possible application is putting a tag underneath the manhole cover, which, by
means of an unambiguous code, allows an information sheet containing the description of
the content of the manhole cover, the date and any further information necessary for
company records managing the service to be recognised and associated. RFID (Radio
Frequency IDentification) technology makes it possible:

- to receive and transmit without a battery when queried by a “reader”

- to be traced, if covered with asphalt
- to manage the intervention squads
13
 - to be geo-referenced (gis coordinates – Latitude, Longitude )
- to know all the information relative to that present inside the pit (type of service,
diameter, material, year of installation of the duct, possible features of switchgear)
- to log all the maintenance operations carried out
- to certify the intervention carried out by verifying the timestamp and the place
- for the product to have an unambiguous identification (each manhole cover as its
own unambiguous serial number in a microchip)

3. 2. 6 − RESPECT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

The manufacturing technology of manhole covers in composite material used by Polieco
Group involves highly innovative features respect to the traditional production of cast iron
covers even from the view point of respect for the environment.

In particular, two main factors weigh in favour of manhole covers in composite material
compared to cast iron manhole covers as to the emission of CO2 into the air:

- energy necessary to reach the fusion temperature used to melt the raw material to
be cast inside the moulds of cast iron manhole covers (beyond 1200°C) and the
temperature at which moulds for composite materials normally work (around 60°C)

- reduced weight of each individual piece making it possible to load 3-4 times more
covers than normal cast iron manhole covers on a trip thus reducing pollution due to
fewer number of transports.

As proof of that said, a specific study was conducted to assess the Carbon Footprint of the
KIO® manhole cover, namely the amount of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere relative to
the entire life cycle of the product. The study was conducted in 2013 as part of the National
Programme for the assessment of the environmental footprint, a project co-financed by the
Ministry of the Environment and Protection of Land and Sea.

The Carbon Footprint of Products (CFP) is the sum of the emissions and removal of
greenhouse gas caused by a product (from the supply of the raw materials, to production,
distribution, use and end of life) expressed in kg of CO2 equivalent (CO2e). The approach
used is that of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), namely an approach which takes account of
all the phases of the product’s life cycle, from “cradle to grave”.

At the end of the study, Industrie Polieco-MPB obtained the product certification with the
Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance, in compliance with the standard ISO/TS 14067:2013
(Greenhouses gases – Carbon footprint of products – Requirements and guidelines for
quantification and communication). The data relative to the emission of CO2equivalent are
updated every year based on changes implemented in one of the phases of the product’s life
cycle and improvement actions capable of reducing and mitigating emissions are identified.

Lastly it must be pointed out that the material the cover and frame is made of is recyclable:
by means of a special process, the materials can be regenerated and mixed once again to
the thermosetting resin to produce new products, such as the KIO φ800 15 kN cover.

14
3. 2. 7 − THEFT PREVENTION
Recently news often talks about the theft of manhole covers, sold to recast the metal. Aside
from the economical damage, these thefts have extremely dangerous consequences as they
leave dangerous openings on the road which are not signalled.

As specified above, the manhole cover in composite material is recyclable, but this operation
can only be carried out by highly specialised companies and that obtained can only be
reused to produce special pieces. Therefore the theft of manhole covers in composite
material has no appeal as no illegal secondary market exists.

3. 2. 8 − CUSTOMISATIONS
There are specific spaces on the visible part of the
cover where you may insert the logo or name of the
city, the service or the customer, which for that matter
can also be done on cast iron covers currently on the
market.

Furthermore for special quantities, covers can be

directly manufactured in different colours to identify a
specific utility or to provide a decorative value to
installation of the manhole covers.

15
CHAPTER 4. NORMATIVE REFERENCE
The KIO® manhole cover is manufactured in compliance with the standard EN 124:2015
“Gully tops and manhole tops for vehicular and pedestrian areas”.

This standard establishes the dimensions, classes, materials, construction and test principles,
the marking and quality control of gully tops and manhole tops with a clear opening up to
and including 1000 mm, for installation within areas subjected to pedestrian and/or vehicular
traffic.

Standard EN124:2015 was drafted by the Work Group CEN/TC165/WG4 “Covers, gratings,
drainage channels and other ancillary components for use outside buildings” and was
published by CEN in June 2015 and implemented on a national level by the relative
standardisation bodies.

The standard is divided into six distinct parts:

Part 1: Definition, classification, general principles of design, performance

requirements and test methods
Part 2: Gully tops and manhole tops made of cast iron
Part 3: Gully tops and manhole tops made of steel or aluminium alloys
Part 4: Gully tops and manhole tops made of precast steel reinforced concrete
Part 5: Gully tops and manhole tops made of composite materials
Part 6: Gully tops and manhole tops made of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE)
or unplasticized polyvinyl-chloride (PVC-U).

Part 1 sets forth the general requirements which must be satisfied for devices made of any
type of material. In addition, the manhole tops and gully tops must meet the specific
requirements in Parts 2 – 6 according to the material they are made of. Composite materials
comply with standard EN 124-5:2015. The following chapter 5 describes the reference tests.

When this manual was drafted, the CE marking of these products and drafting of the
Declaration of performance DoP (compliant with Construction Products Regulation No.
305/2011) were not applicable as the publication of the entire EN 124:2015 series in the
Official Journal of the European Union was blocked.

In this regard, the series of EN 124:2015 standards will remain voluntary as it will be
enforced, in the entire European Community, as of 1 April 2017, date on which the previous
standard EN 124:1994 will be abrogated permanently. Within 31 March 2017, all
manufacturers of gully tops and manhole tops must comply with the new EN 124:2015 (in all
its parts) voluntarily applying the new certification diagrams, issued by independent
accredited certification bodies, according to standard EN 124:2015 pursuant to standard EN
ISO 17065.

4. 1 − MARKING

Based on standard EN 124:2015, the following information must be applied in a clear and
durable manner on each cover, grating and frame:

- normative reference (for example EN 124-5);

16
 - appropriate load class (for example B125);
- identification name and/or trademark of manufacturer;
- factory of manufacture, also expressed in code;
- date or week and year of manufacture.

As mentioned above, as compliance with standard EN 124:2015 is voluntary, the

manufacturer who obtains a product certification, issued by an independent accredited
certification body, must also include the marking of the body who issued this certification in
a clear and durable manner on each cover, grating and frame.

The official documentation, for example the certificate of conformity, issued by the
certification bodies, shall include the product designation as prescribed by standard EN124-
5:2015 and provided below:

- name of the product;

- normative reference (for example EN 124-5);
- load class (for example B125);
- type of material (for example composite material C2);
- section number of the standard EN124 of reference for the cover or frame: for
example, number 5/5 indicates that the cover and frame are in composite material.
In standard EN124:2015, conformity of covers and frames made with two different
materials is accepted as long as the requirements of the standards are met (for
example covers in composite and frames in cast iron);
- clear opening in mm (DP);
- type of securing method (for example with closure F);
- skid resistance (for example raised pattern RP)

17
CHAPTER 5. LABORATORY TESTS
Gully tops and manhole cups, regardless of the type of material, must undergo the
verifications foreseen by standard EN 124-1:2015: dimensional controls and tests to
determine the permanent set and load bearing capacity (maximum load), necessary to
establish the class of the product.

The standard EN 124-5:2015 (specific for manhole covers in composite material) requires
finished products to undergo additional laboratory tests respect to those in standard EN 124-
1:2015 to further guarantee the lasting suitability of the pieces for the intended use. These
tests, not required for covers in other materials, are described in the following paragraphs.
The Industrie Polieco-MPB laboratory is equipped to be able to conduct all the tests foreseen
by the standard EN 124-1:2015 (General requirements) and EN 124-5:2015 (Composite
materials).

5. 1 − PERMANENT SET
The test consists in determining the permanent residual deflection (permanent set) after
application of a load 2/3 the maximum load intended for the relative class.

A manhole cover, which has not previously been subjected to a load test, must be placed in
the measuring device (preferably a hydraulic test press), with an appropriate test block (the
shape and size of which are specified in the standard according to the shape and size of the
samples to be tested). Before the first load is applied, an initial reading at the geometric
centre of the cover or grating shall be taken. The load shall be applied at a rate of 1 to 5
kN/s up to 2/3 of the test load. The load on the test specimen is then released. This
procedure shall be carried out five times. Then a final reading at the geometric centre shall
be taken. The permanent set shall then be determined as the difference of the measured
readings before the first and after the fifth loading. To determine conformity, this value must
be less than those intended according to the class and size of the cover or grating (see Table
5).

Class Permissible permanent set

DP
A15 and B125 (1)
100
DP DP
(2) (3)
300 500
From C250 to F900 If fixed with an anchoring device or other If fixed with a sufficient
methods as long as specified in the design mass per surface unit.
characteristics
(1) DP/50 if DP < 450 mm with a maximum value of 6.5 mm
(2) 1 mm max when DP < 300 mm
(3) 1 mm max when DP < 500 mm
DP = clear opening, mm; diameter of the largest circle that can be inscribed in the clear area of the frame

Table 5 – Permissible permanent set

18
5. 2 − LOAD BEARING CAPACITY
Immediately after having performed the test described in the previous paragraph
(permanent set), the test load required according to the class must be applied to the cover
or grating, as shown in Table 6, again at a rate from 1 to 5 kN/s. The test load shall be
maintained for 30 seconds and then released. The pieces must show no visible breakage
during or after the test.

Class Test load, kN

A15 15
B125 125
C250 250
D400 400
E600 600
F900 900

Table 6 – Test loads

5. 3 − DEFLECTION UNDER LOAD

The test consists in determining the deflection when applying a load 1/3 of the maximum
load intended for the relative class to a manhole cover which has not previously been
subjected to a load test. The value obtained must be declared by the manufacturer in
mm/DP (namely respect to the clear opening diameter). No requirements are foreseen.

5. 4 − CREEP RESISTANCE
A load equal to that used to determine the maximum residual deflection (permanent set),
namely 2/3 of the load intended for the relative class, shall be applied to a manhole cover
which has not previously been subjected to a load test. Application of the load shall be
maintained for 60 minutes; after a recovery time of 5 minutes, the piece must meet the
intended requirements for the permanent set for the relative class.

5. 5 − RESISTANCE TO FATIGUE
A manhole cover, which has not previously been subjected to a load test, must undergo a
constant pulsating load for a pre-established number of cycles. The number of cycles and the
test load are displayed in the following table.

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 Class Number of Test load FF, Load application
cycles kN rate, kN/s
B125 10,000 43 7± 2
C250 100,000 92 42 ± 14
D400 (a) 100,000 136 70 ± 20
500,000 120 60 ± 20
a – Test conditions for class D400 can be used either or. They both refer to the
same stress level. The conditions are selected by the manufacturer.

Table 7 – Conditions for fatigue test

When the intended cycles have been completed, the manhole cover must meet the intended
requirements for permanent set and load bearing capacity. There must be no clear signs of
breakage after the test.

For each class, the test conditions were established taking account of the load and number
of cycles of a manhole cover in service and applying the data of the literature defined in
terms of percentage of ultimate tensile stress (UTS, %) and number of cycles. The criteria
used to choose the test conditions were those of having a reasonable duration of the test
according to a significant number of cycles.

For example for a class D 400 manhole cover, the fatigue curve with "the number of cycles"
and "the fatigue load" is shown in the following table. The conditions highlighted in boldface
are those indicated in the standard EN 124-5:2015.

No. Number of cycles % of Test load,

UTS FF

1 1,000 1.00E+03 65.0 260.0 kN

2 10,000 1.00E+04 46.5 186.0 kN
3 50,000 5.00E+04 36.8 147.2 kN
4 100,000 1.00E+05 34.0 136.0 kN
5 500,000 5.00E+05 30.0 119.8 kN
6 1,000,000 1.00E+06 28.5 114.0 kN
7 10,000,000 1.00E+07 24.0 96.0 kN
8 100,000,000 1.00E+08 20.5 82.0 kN
9 200,000,000 2.00E+08 19.6 78.3 kN
10 1,000,000,000 1.00E+09 17.0 67.9 kN

Table 8 – Fatigue curve for a class D400 manhole cover

That specified above allows us to extrapolate the useful life of manhole covers in composite
material.

20
If we consider:
- the maximum load per axle, as indicated in directive EU (1996/53/EC), is equal to
11.5 t (11,500 kg), meaning a load of 56.4 kN on each wheel;
- the road construction standards in Germany require 230x106 cycles for every 10 t
axial load in a time span of 30 years
it is safe to assert that, to last 30 years, a manhole cover must withstand a load of 56.4 kN
for 230x106 cycles.

In fact we want to emphasise the fact that the calculation of the number of cycles for a
duration of 30 years is based on a load of 56.4 kN, while axles are limited to 10.0 t (10,000
kg) for double tyred wheels and 9.5 t (9,500 kg) for single tyred wheels. Furthermore, most
axles have two tyred wheels, therefore the load is distributed on quite a larger area than
that foreseen by the load test defined in standard EN 124-5:2015 which requires positioning
the load in the middle on a 250 mm diameter disk: this creates significantly different bending
moment values, thus adding a further safety factor.

5. 6 − IMPACT RESISTANCE
A manhole cover, which has not previously been subjected to a load test, shall be
conditioned at 60°C for 30 days, left to cool off at ambient temperature for a minimum of 2
hours and then conditioned at -20°C for a minimum of 4 hours. Within 30 seconds, the piece
must be struck in its geometric centre with an appropriately heavy mass (equal to 3.75 kg
for class B125, 4.5 kg for class C250 and 7.5 kg for class D400) with a 50 mm diameter
hemispherical end from a height of 2,000 mm. The test shall be carried out at another 7
equally spaced points, at least 4 to be around the periphery. At the end of the test, the
sample must have no visible signs of cracking or delaminations.

5. 7 − EFFECT OF HEATING
A manhole cover which has been previously subjected to impact resistance test described in
the previous paragraph must be kept in an oven that has been preheated to a temperature
of 150°C for 60 minutes. At the end of conditioning, the sample must have no visible
defects, blistering, cracks or delamination when examined with proper light.

5. 8 − TESTS CHARACTERISING THE COMPOSITE MATERIAL USED

Before placing the final product on the market, the standard EN 124-5:2015 requires some
characterisation tests of the composite material used, such as:

water absorption: after having emerged a manhole cover in deionised water for 24
hours at 23°C, the weight variation must be less than 0.3%; the piece, having
undergone determination of the permanent set and the load test, must meet the
requirements foreseen for the class;

hardness: complete crosslinking of the thermosetting resin must occur; the minimum
value to reach is 35 Barcol;

21
 resistance to vehicle fuels: after having emerged a manhole cover in diesel oil for 168
hours at 23°C, the weight variation must be less than 0.5%; the piece, having
undergone determination of the permanent set and the load test, must meet the
requirements foreseen for the class;

weathering resistance: a sample is exposed to a laboratory light source in controlled

humidity and temperature conditions, with condensate and/or water spray cycles, to
quickly reproduce the effects of weathering due to outside atmospheric agents (sun,
rain, dew) in actual use conditions. At the end of artificial weathering, the piece, having
undergone determination of the permanent set and the load test, must meet the
requirements foreseen for the relative class.

5. 9 − COMPATIBILITY OF SEATINGS
In order to ensure quietness in use and stable behaviour between the cover and frame, the
standard EN 124-1:2015 requires that class D400 devices and higher must be subject to the
“Tilt test”.

The “Tilt test” consists in applying a 75 mm diameter test block on the edge, at certain
points of the perimeter of the cover and frame (depending on the geometry of the device) in
such a way that the axle centre of the test block is applied at the joint between
cover/grating and frame. A gradually increasing test load FK, from 0 to 50 kN is to be applied
3 times with a rate of 1 kN/s to 5 kN/s. Under effect of the test load the maximum increase
in the vertical distance between the top of the frame and the top of the cover shall be
measured. This increase can at most be equal to half the depth of insertion of the device in
question, with a maximum value of 25 mm at any point on the perimeter.

5. 10 − PULL-OUT TEST
The standard EN 124-1:2015 also requires that securing of the cover within the frame when
installing in the presence of traffic be checked by means of the “Pull-out test”. To conduct
the “Pull-out test”, an appropriate anchoring device where the cable/chain/strap is secured
shall be installed at the geometric centre of the cover/grating. This anchoring device shall be
installed in such a way that the distance between the top of the cover and the
cable/chain/strap shall be 100 mm and its longitudinal axis is fixed perpendicular to the
cover surface level.

The maximum vertical pull-out force FV (N) shall be determined according to equation

FV = CA x 0,4 x 10-2

where CA = is the clear area in mm2.

The pull-out force must be applied to the cover until it lifts a maximum of 25 mm or up to
the maximum force FV calculated with the equation above. Vertical displacement h shall be
measured between the top of the frame and the highest point of the cover reached during
the test. When the maximum permissible vertical displacement h (25 mm) is reached, the
corresponding lifting force shall be measured and recorded. For example in the case of a KIO
φ800 D400 cover, a maximum displacement of 1.7 mm is reached at a force of 1130 N.
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5. 11 − SKID RESISTANCE
The skid resistance of gully tops and manhole tops must be guaranteed by producing pieces
whose total surface area of raised pattern shall not be less than 10 % and not more than 70
% of the total projected surface area and whose height must be 2 to 6 mm for classes B125
and C250 and 3 to 8 mm for class D400. The KIO cover includes raised patterns 2.5 mm
high for classes B125 and C250 and 3.5 mm for class D400.

5. 12 − CHILD SAFETY
The resistance of covers or gratings to removal by children shall be met by means of
sufficient mass of the individual cover or gratings or locking accessory or securing feature. In
Italy, there are no further relevant provisions.

5. 13 − REACTION TO FIRE
The fire resistance characteristics of a manhole cover can be defined within national
regulations (Italy currently has no relevant regulations). Based on that defined in the
standard EN 124-5:2015, the reaction to fire of manhole covers can be classified based on
that indicated in standard EN 13501-1 (Fire classification of construction products and
building elements-Part1: Classification using data from reaction to fire tests).

Industrie Polieco-MPB had an accredited laboratory carry out the tests requested by the
standard EN 13501-1 obtaining the following classification:

Reaction to fire: class D

Smoke development: s2
Dripping during combustion: d0

Table 9 displays the main and ancillary classifications of standard EN 13501-1 to better
interpret the classification obtained.

Main classification
A1
Incombustible materials
A2
B Non-flammable combustible materials
C FIGRA 0.4MJ* ≤ 250 W/s Not readily flammable
D FIGRA 0.4MJ* ≤ 750 W/s combustible materials
E Readily flammable combustible materials with test criteria for
detection of the class
F Readily flammable combustible materials without any test criteria
for detection of the class This class is attributed if a product does
not pass the test criteria defined for class E.
* FIGRA 0.4MJ:FIre Growth RAte at a total thermal release threshold (THR) of 0.4
MJ

23
 Additional classification
s 1 ++ (best)
2 + Smoke production during combustion
3 - (worst)
d 0 ++ (best)
1 + Flaming droplets during combustion
2 - (worst)

Table 9 – Main and additional classification of standard EN 13501-1

As defined by standard EN 124-5:2015, if there are no minimum national regulations, class E

(lower than class D) is considered sufficient for use of the manhole cover in trafficked areas
outside buildings.

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6 − CERTIFICATION
Industrie Polieco-MPB obtained for the first time in March 2012, the certification of
conformity with standard EN 124:1994, by the Italian accredited Institute ICMQ (Certification
and Quality Marking Institute for products and services in construction field). Then the
certification was also integrated with conformity to the tests foreseen by the standard design
prEN 124-5 and today to the tests foreseen by standard EN 124-5:2015.

When this manual was drafted, the certificate issued in compliance with the standard EN
124-5:2015, is only available for some models. Within March 2017 all KIO models will be
certified in accordance with standard EN 124-5:2015.

The following are the annexes to the certificate issued in compliance both to standard EN
124:1994 and to standard EN 124-5:2015.

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26
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CHAPTER 7. INSTALLATION
Correct installation is essential to guarantee long life and efficiency of all construction
products, therefore including manhole covers. Incorrect installation of the manhole covers,
regardless of the material they are made of, can have harmful or even dangerous effects for
the integrity of pedestrians and vehicles. The manhole covers must be installed by
appropriately skilled and trained operatives, using the proper equipment.

The standard EN 124-1:2015 has a specific informative annex (Annex F - Recommendations

for installation) which defines some essential criteria which must be taken into consideration
for installation of the manhole covers.

As far as Italy is concerned, a specific technical commission of UNI drafted specific guidelines
for the installation of manhole covers: UNI/TR 11256 (September 2007): Guidelines to the
installation of gully tops and manhole tops for vehicular and pedestrian areas. This
specification takes into consideration cast iron manhole covers but can also be used for
covers in composite material: in the latter case, the reduced weight of the system consisting
of frame and cover makes the operations described in the following points easier, quicker,
less dangerous and less subject to human errors.

The following paragraphs provide the information necessary for correctly installing the
manhole covers treated in the documents mentioned above, in particular referring to
installation of KIO class D400 roadway manhole covers.

7. 1 − CHOICE OF THE TYPE OF MANHOLE COVER

The manhole cover must always be in the class appropriate to the place of installation and
therefore to the stress to which it will be subject. If in doubt you must use a device of a
stronger class than that strictly foreseen. The designer must also choose a size appropriate
to the clear opening to guarantee safe access.

Furthermore, before installation, the following indications must be checked:

the manhole cover must be appropriately marked with reference to the standard
(EN124) and to the certification body which issued the certification marking;

the frame must have the same shape as the pit on which it will be placed and the
clear opening must be similar to that of the pit. The following images show some
examples highlighting, both for square and round frames, the correct and incorrect
choice of the frame/cover (or grating) system respect to the pit;

28
the size of the frame must be less than or equal to the depth of the housing so that,
when the job is done, the frame, cover and paving are on the same level. It is
preferable that the depth of the housing chamber be 2 to 4 cm higher than the frame
to be able to make a concrete bedding which guarantees correct distribution of the
loads on the support surface.

the direction of the cover respect to vehicle traffic, represented by an arrow on the
cover only for the KIO φ800 D400 model, must be respected.

29
7. 2 − CHOICE OF INSTALLATION MATERIAL

If the road is closed off during installation, cement mortar with characteristic compressive
strength (Rck) greater than or equal to 50 N/mm2 can be used, respecting the curing times
prescribed by the manufacturer.

If the road needs to be opened to traffic quickly, the manhole covers must be placed on
materials for quick hardening installation with the following minimum features:

maximum grain size of the aggregates 4 mm

mass density of fresh mortar 2300 kg/m3 – 2600 kg/m3
volumetric increase in 1 d + 0.5%
workability time ~15 min
compressive strength after 30 min ˃ 1.5 N/mm2
after 1 hour ˃ 8.0 N/mm2
after 24 hours ˃ 35.00 N/mm2
after 28 days ˃ 50.0 N/mm2
characteristic compressive strength of the material
at end of hardening ˃ 50.0 N/mm2
lasting performance durability and consistency
resistance to salt and freezing
impermeability to water
absence of chlorine

An example of this type of material is Kerakoll’s Geolite Asphalt, easily available at any
construction material dealer.

In particular temperature conditions, installation materials must be chosen which are

appropriate to the use and application conditions. Installation materials must be applied
according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Any shimming materials can be enclosed
inside the installation bed, after verifying the final stability of the system.

When the level of the manhole cover housing on the top of the pits needs to be raised, a
shimming material can be used with a minimum compressive strength of 50 N/mm2, it must
have lasting durability and be compatible with the installation materials intended to be used.

Shimming materials are generally made of cast iron, steel or concrete. It is NOT allowed to
use hallow bricks, broken tiles, pieces of wood or plastic or anyhow any type of material
which does not provide the necessary strength and durability features.

7. 3 − NEW INSTALLATIONS

The contracting company performing the job first of all must make sure that the pit,
prefabricated or built on site, is intact and capable of structurally bearing the weight of the
KIO manhole cover to be applied.

It is also essential to make sure that the frame and the installation seating on the pit are
clean by eliminating any traces of mud, grease or debris. If necessary, the top of the pit
could be roughened to improve the hold of the laying material.
30
The depth of the housing chamber must be made taking account of the height of the devices
to be installed, to avoid using shimming materials as much as possible. The width of the
housing chamber must be at least 1.6 times the maximum external size of the frame of the
device to be installed, so that a consistent and uniform concrete kerb can be made around it.

It is recommended to mix the laying material mechanically and not by hand so that it is
homogeneous: the operation must be carried out as quickly as possible and anyhow before
quick hardening.

Immediately after applying the laying material, the frame must be positioned promptly at the
correct height, centring the clear section of the frame with that of the pit and exerting
appropriate pressure on the bedding to guarantee a firm grip, making sure that no internal
part of the frame overhangs the pit. The frame must NOT be positioned directly on the top
of the pit.

The frame must be positioned on the bedding so that its bearing surface is appropriately
supported by the top of the pit/chamber. Furthermore the frame must be positioned at road
level using appropriate reference points and so that it is level with the surrounding surface.

Make sure there are no empty spaces between the frame and the top of the pit. Pay special
attention when applying the laying material near the cover seating so as not to leave residual
material. It is also necessary to make sure that the laying material covers the flanges of the
frame with at least a 1 cm width and comes out of any holes or slots on the frame, providing
a perfect grip.

When installing the cover in the presence of heavy and/or frequent vehicular traffic, it is
recommended to anchor the class D400 manhole cover frame to the concrete slab or wall of
the underlying concrete pit, positioning the fastener plugs in the specific circular slots in the
KIO φ800 frame.

Beddings thicker than 4 cm should be applied at two different moments: the first layer
should be 2 to 4 cm thick, while the following layer should only be applied after having
placed suitable primer material in between. Make sure to leave sufficient residual thickness
for the finish of the road surface. The exposed surfaces of the bedding, both inside and
outside the frame, must be smooth and made even.

31
The cover/grating must be inserted carefully into the frame only after the material has a
sufficient grip and compressive strength and only after a careful check and cleaning of the
support surface of the seal and of the seating of the frame where the bulge of the KIO cover
must be inserted.

The finish filling around the manhole cover must be carried out after at least 3 hours with
the same laying material, leaving a layer of at least 3 cm to allow the finish of the road
surface by laying asphalt. Make sure no compacting devices pass over the manhole cover to
avoid damaging the bedding/frame/cover system. The installation must not be subject to any
type of stress until the bedding material has reached sufficient strength. After installation,
the frame and cover/grating must be level with the road surface.

Before opening the area where the manhole cover is located to traffic, the curing times
supplied by the manufacturer of the product used must be respected: if there are no
different indications, waiting time is at least 72 hours.

7. 4 − RESTORATION WORK

When replacing broken or damaged manhole covers or when raising the level, due to re-
paving of the road surface, in addition to the prescriptions in the previous paragraph, the
following considerations must be made:

the support structure of the frame could be worn and no longer meet the safety
requirements, or damaged during removal of the unit and/or surrounding paving,
making it necessary to completely replace the device;

the cover and frame must be examined carefully to ascertain whether they are
appropriate for reuse and in sufficiently good conditions to be re-installed. If the
cover or frame is no longer suitable, the complete unit must be replaced and not only
the worn element: in fact using a new cover on an old frame and vice versa is
absolutely forbidden.

First of all, mark the position of the cuts to be made in the paving when intended on
removing the manhole cover, in order to create a housing chamber at least 1.6 times the
maximum external size of the frame of the device to be removed, so that a consistent and

32
uniform concrete kerb can be made around it. If cracks or signs of breakage appear in the
paving material, the cuts must be made 50 mm on the outside of the crack in order to
eliminate it.

Then the entire depth of the layers making up the paving must be cut by following the
perimeter around the frame, using a circular saw or similar equipment. Remove any material
between the cut and the frame in order to free the frame and the entire width of the pit
walls.

Paving cut Removal of material around the frame

Examine the cover/grating and lift the frame to highlight any underlying laying material and
to remove any loose material. Then it is fundamental to carefully analyse the conditions of
the pit to make sure the structure is perfectly intact: the pit must be capable of bearing the
weight of the manhole cover or gully top and any other additional load, dynamic or static,
which can unload onto it by external causes. In case of evident wear or lack of concrete,
check whether it is possible to repair and to guarantee the original features. Otherwise it
must be replaced.

Cleaning the concerned area Levelling the top of the frame

The support structure must be appropriately sized and have characteristic strength greater
than or equal to 50 N/mm2 to support the entire base of the frame, the cover and expected
external stress. The manhole cover can then be installed following the instructions in the
previous paragraph.
33
7. 5 − MAINTENANCE

Appropriate maintenance of the manhole cover and of all of its components guarantees ideal
functioning of the system and a longer service life.

Therefore it is essential to perform a series of checks on the manhole cover every time it is
opened, such as:
- make sure there are no cracks in the structure below the frame;
- clean the seatings of the frame and the seal of any stones, debris or filth using a
brush or compressed air;
- check that the seal is intact and replace it if necessary;
- check that any steel inserts in the frame and in the cover are appropriately anchored
and do not show signs of yielding;
- check functioning of the hinge system and safety lock of the covers in the open
position, if any.

The space around the manhole cover must be analysed with the same care and attention; in
particular checking that:

- there is no yielding of the frame around the manhole cover or, on the other hand,
that the manhole cover has not lowered respect to the road level;
- the border around the outer edge of the frame is even, homogeneous and has no
cracks.

Based on the results of this analysis, you must assess whether or not to perform restoration
work.

34