GripTop - Award winning high friction anti-skid carriageway access cover range
| City | Bristol City Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 2021 |
| Associated ranges | GripTop |
| Markets | Access covers and gratings |
| Company | Bristol City Council |
The issues faced
Creating a safer road infrastructure is seen by local authorities as a priority for reducing accidents caused by skidding. On roads today there are many factors which can contribute to increasing the risk of accidents in particular those facing motorcyclists and cyclists. Access covers in the carriageway can become slippery over time, their raised patterns worn by decades of traffic sometimes leaving a polished slippery surface.
The findings
As part of the Broadmead redevelopment programme in 2009 working in partnership with Bristol City Council, Saint-Gobain PAM UK carried out large-scale testing in the city centre of a high friction access cover solution known as GripTop. Around 70 new GripTop access covers were installed around the inner ring road, a road system that is subjected to continuous heavy traffic. Each installation was monitored and tested during the two-year development programme.
The solution
Through an exhaustive new product development programme Saint-Gobain PAM UK have been able to achieve a major breakthrough that has resulted in the development of GripTop. Fully compliant and Kitemarked with the requirements of BS EN 124, GripTop features a patented factory applied maintenance free high-friction top surface which brings together high performance bonding agents and bauxite aggregate on a recessed ductile iron substrate.
12 years on, several of the original installations in Bristol City centre were independently tested in-situ in November by Lucideon, to determine if any degradation in the skid resistance performance had occurred. Using the pendulum method in accordance with BS 7976 locations were tested along Bond Street, York Street and Pritchard Street.
The value
GripTop is proven to offer a permanent high friction solution for where the road design or configuration require long-lasting grip performance such as breaking areas approaching traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and roundabouts.
GripTop is available in E600 and D400 load classification, Briton, Inter-Ax, Opt-Emax, Silent Knight or Ult-Emax variants and a wide range of clear opening sizes to suit different applications.
The results proved to be very encouraging with an average PSRV (polished skid resistance value) recorded of over 75, meaning only a 6% loss in performance after 12 years of continuous service, proving the long term durability of GripTop.
We are delighted that Saint-Gobain PAM’s commitment to monitor the covers’ performance has proved them to maintain their highly tenacious grip thereby making a very real contribution to road safety in this renowned ‘Cycling City’.
I am now entering my 45th year in this industry and I am very proud to have been involved albeit in a small way with this award winning product. As a Motorcyclist and an Officer involved in crash investigations I am confident that their introduction has averted many accidents and thereby potentially many life changing injuries.
Related ranges
GripTop Access Covers are an award-winning, high-friction, anti-skid solution designed to improve road safety for all users, especially cyclists and motorcyclists.
Opt-Emax access covers are designed to make your work safer, easier, and more efficient.
Ult-Emax access covers are designed to make inspections safer, faster, and more efficient.
The Inter-Ax range of traditional lift out covers was developed following an extensive three year research programme conducted by Nottingham University to understand the mechanisms at play th
