Main characteristics of concrete monolithic curbs

Modern urban infrastructure is not complete without concrete monolithic curbs, which offer both practical and decorative advantages. These curbs, which act as vital boundaries that improve safety and direct traffic, are frequently seen lining parking lots, streets, and pathways. They are a popular option for a variety of applications, from commercial and industrial settings to residential areas, thanks to their strength and durability.

The seamless construction of concrete monolithic curbs is one of their primary benefits. Monolithic curbs are poured in one continuous piece as opposed to segmented curbs, which have the potential to settle or shift over time. This construction technique lowers the possibility of damage or displacement while guaranteeing a consistent appearance. Furthermore, monolithic curbs’ continuous, smooth surface helps keep water and debris from building up, requiring less upkeep and prolonging their lifespan.

Concrete monolithic curbs have advantages beyond their usefulness; they can also improve a space’s overall appearance. They can be made to match the style and design of the surrounding area because they come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and finishes. Because of its adaptability, streetscapes and public spaces can have more visually appealing landscaping and urban planning.

To sum up, concrete monolithic curbs provide a strong, dependable, and aesthetically pleasing way to define and safeguard urban areas. They are a great option for a variety of projects because of their construction technique, robustness, and aesthetic adaptability, which guarantee both beauty and functionality in any environment.

Characteristic	Description
Durability	Monolithic concrete curbs are highly durable and can withstand heavy loads and harsh weather conditions.
Strength	These curbs provide excellent structural strength, making them ideal for high-traffic areas.
Longevity	With proper maintenance, monolithic concrete curbs can last for decades without significant deterioration.
Low Maintenance	Once installed, they require minimal upkeep, saving time and maintenance costs.
Versatility	Concrete curbs can be shaped and sized to fit various design requirements, offering great flexibility.
Cost-Effective	Despite a higher initial cost, their long lifespan and low maintenance make them a cost-effective choice over time.

What does the concept mean?

Using seamless technology, monolithic concrete curbs (MCCs) are fences for sidewalks and roads that define zones according to type and function.

Because there are no seams, this technique makes the structure stronger because it keeps water from getting in between the components, which could eventually destroy their foundation. An MCC can have any shape, including complex curvilinear and rectangular shapes.

The most affordable and long-lasting curbs are thought to be made of monolithic concrete. Furthermore, as plasticizers, sand, and gravel are added, the product’s mechanical strength will only grow.

Such a structure also has better resistance to frost, doesn’t mind icing or snowdrifts, and is simple to maintain and clean from dirt from the road.

The purpose of the use of on -board stone

The external form, production technology, and strength characteristics of monolithic stones are determined by their specific uses.

They are made one-sided, with one finishing side installed in the fence area and the other back to the ground. In this scenario, they share sidewalks, lawns, and single-level sites.

The products in this section are most commonly used in parallelepiped shapes with rounded, beveled, or straight edges. Curly ones are installed in park or garden areas, while simple rectangular shapes are used in road farms.

Production technology states that vibrating or vibrating pressing is the most common method used to create borders on an industrial scale.

Vibration-pressed products are more desirable for projects aimed at improving the areas of cities and towns because of their ease of installation, high strength parameters, and resistance to frost, all of which prolong the useful life of the improvement objects.

Modifications to monolithic curbs are produced based on the area of application and the degree of load on the structure:

1. Road – the most popular modification, used for city and highways, as well as intra-quarter and intra-house driveways, they are not limited in length, this size depends on the volume of the curb-laying machine, and they have restrictions on height/width, respectively, not lower than 30/15 cm.
2. Sidewalk, very similar in shape to the road, but has smaller dimensions in height/width – 20/8 cm. Application areas: in residential areas, in parking lots, parking lots, in private housing construction. Such MBB simultaneously performs both a functional and decorative role.
3. Garden, similar in size to sidewalk, can also have a different size of 15/10 cm, used for decorating beds, garden paths and sidewalks in the local area. One of the varieties of these modifications is a special border for a lawn mower, which has a lowered edge below the lawn level, which allows you to mow along the edge of the lawn without damaging the blades.
4. Landscape 15/10 cm is used for the designer decoration of the site, can be of any shape: waves or arcs and colors.

Monolithic curbs are not allowed to be placed in locations where they will obstruct traffic or pedestrian traffic.

Because of their strength and longevity, concrete monolithic curbs are long-lasting, seamless constructions that are frequently utilized in urban planning and development. These curbs are cast in place to create a continuous barrier that effectively manages traffic flow for both cars and pedestrians, lessens erosion, and improves streetscape aesthetics. Because of their sturdy design, which reduces maintenance requirements and allows them to withstand inclement weather, they are an affordable and dependable option for a range of applications.

Regulatory acts

Producers of monolithic concrete curbs must ensure that their product strictly complies with SNiP as well as other fundamental building and design specifications.

The primary document that delineates specifications for the fabrication, positioning, and functioning of curb stones is GOST No. 6665, which was released in 1991.

Concrete grades B30/22.5 must be used to pour a monolithic concrete structure. It is acceptable to vary from the recommended stone sizes in some projects, as long as the road services and the organization in charge of the area’s improvement are in agreement.

Parameters and characteristics

The company installing monolithic concrete curbs needs to hold quality certificates in order for the structures to comply with regulations.

Manufactured goods must be regularly inspected and tested for qualities like strength, frost resistance, crack resistance, moisture absorption, and section compliance with GOST requirements in order to obtain them.

The following indications must be present on monolithic concrete curbs, per the test results:

• High strength and wear resistance. These product qualities are obtained through the use of modern technologies and concrete grades not lower than M450.
• Frost resistance and resistance to subzero temperatures in cycles from F 200 to F300.
• Hygroscopicity is important for concrete products so that they maintain the integrity of the structure during natural crystallization of water, this is achieved by adding certain additives, its class is designated W, for monolithic borders it should correspond to 4 to 6 kg / cm 2, which allows you to withstand water pressure without absorption – 6 kg per 1 cm 2 of area, the use of plasticizers allows you to increase water resistance by 1 step.
• Nominal period of use over 20 years.

Tools and devices for installation

Installing monolithic concrete blocks can be done manually or with the aid of an extruder press machine. The tools the contractor will need for the job will depend on this decision. They are different in that a concrete mixer is not required when utilizing a press machine.

The same gearbox, pusher, and gasoline engine (Kotler 6.5 HP) are used in extruders. The machine can lay 4.5 meters of 15 by 10 cm monolithic concrete blocks. The materials needed are 25 kg of cement, 10 kg of sand, 0.8 liters of gasoline per 140 meters, plasticizer, and dye.

Supplies and equipment needed for the manual manufacture of MBB:

• cement M450/500;
• crushed stone up to 30 mm;
• reinforcement for reinforcement plastic and steel D = 6 mm;
• knitting wire for steel reinforcement;
• washed coarse sand;
• plasticizer or liquid detergent;
• tap water;
• pigment dye;
• board, plywood or slate for formwork;
• fasteners and metal pins;
• concrete mixer;
• submersible construction vibrator;
• shovel;
• containers for transferring the solution;
• measuring set: plumb line, cord, tape measure and level;
• trowel and spatula;
• hammer and hacksaw.

Installation technology and rules

The primary distinction between the installation of monolithic concrete curbs and completed products is that the former’s manufacture necessitates the construction of a trench whose width ranges from 5 to 10 cm, and whose height should be one-third that of the curb.

For these purposes, you have two options: either dig the trench by hand or hire a trench digger, which is a multipurpose device that can lay the product down to a depth of up to 23 cm. Next, sand or crushed stone is spread out as evenly as possible across the bottom. Iron sheet formwork is the most flexible material to use if the curb shape needs to be curved.

Monolithic concrete curbs made in the local area using production technology:

1. To create the formwork, pins of large diameter steel reinforcement are driven into the trench along its sides. This will ensure the required rigidity of the formwork structure. The formwork must stand rigidly and be strong to prevent concrete from leaking out.
2. Install formwork board or other acceptable material, such as slate or plywood.
3. Pouring mortar is mixed in a concrete mixer. The working mass from M450 is made in the ratio: cement/sand/gravel – 1/2.5/3, and for M500 – 1/3/4. First, 1/2 of the required portion of sand and crushed stone is poured into the concrete mixer and mixed thoroughly for 3-4 minutes. Then cement and the rest of the sand and crushed stone are added to the resulting mass and mixed dry again for 5 minutes. After this, the plasticizer is diluted in the required volume of water in the proportion specified by the manufacturer or a regular liquid detergent and the resulting solution is gradually added to the concrete mixer until the concrete reaches the desired consistency. To create colored borders, add a pigment of the desired color to the water.
4. If necessary, lay a reinforcement layer in the formwork.
5. Pour the solution into the formwork on the side of the path. In this case, the height of the pouring will be slightly higher, which should correspond to the planned height of the product.
6. Next, proceed to compacting the mixture, it is best to do this with an immersion construction vibrator, which squeezes water and air onto the surface as efficiently as possible, thereby compacting the poured mass. If there is no vibrator, the mass is pierced with a metal pin, quickly moving it from side to side, but you need to pierce and lift the pin from the mass slowly.
7. After pouring, the surface of the product must be well smoothed.
8. The monolithic curb is covered from exposure to the sun, then periodically moistened with water for at least 7 days.

When building a monolithic curb, the upper portion of it can be embellished with tile fragments or other comparable decorative elements.

Difficulties, mistakes and their consequences

Since such an object is always mounted in a trench in the ground with a thickness of at least 1/3 of the stone’s thickness, difficulties and errors occur when the contractor improperly prepares the work site for laying.

This measurement is based on the level of the cushion that is laid underneath, which must be at least 10 cm.

Principal errors made by contractors when building a monolithic curb:

1. Installation was carried out separately from laying paving slabs, the integrity of the structure was violated, such a path will crumble very quickly.
2. The bottom of the trench was not compacted.
3. Pins were not installed during the manufacture of the formwork, due to which the strength of the structure is very weak.
4. Reinforcement was not performed or was performed with a violation, steel U-posts were not installed in the underlying layer perpendicular to the reinforcement.
5. Poor vibration of the concrete mass in the formwork, many air voids.
6. The concrete surface is not leveled with a spatula.
7. Incorrect storage of the product in the first 3 days: in the open sun and without spraying with water.

Pros and cons of use

When manufactured strictly in compliance with the Technological Map, monolithic curbstones are identical to factory-made ones and can exhibit all of their advantageous features.

Benefits of curbs made of monolithic concrete:

• extremely durable, their production requires building materials that are available in sufficient quantities on the market;
• temperature resistance to sudden temperature changes and other weather influences;
• traditionally strict appearance;
• budget cost;
• easy maintenance and manufacturing technology;
• availability for self-laying.

Average costs for creation

All material and labor costs must be considered in order to calculate the average cost of creating a monolithic concrete curb.

The expertise of the artisans, the accessibility of high-performance equipment and tools, the intricacy of the design, and the functional relationship between the curbs all have an impact on the cost of the work: Gardening costs 95 rubles per PM; roads cost 180 rubles per PM; paving costs 150 rubles per PM.

First circumstances:

• Concrete for laying MBB – strength class B30 concrete M-400.
• Concrete consumption per 1 m of curb measuring 20×8 cm – 0.016 m 3 0.043 cubic. m.

Building material consumption for every cubic meter of M400 concrete:

1. Cement M 500 – 400 kg
2. Crushed stone 10 mm – 1300 kg
3. Washed sand – 650 kg.
4. Board for formwork 20 mm 1 m.p. – 0.01 m 3
5. Cost of cement M 500 – 6700 rubles./t
6. Cost of gravel 10 mm – 3815 rubles./t
7. Cost of river sand – 650 rubles./t.
8. Formwork board — 10960 rubles./m3

Material cost to produce one meter of monolithic stone:

• Cement – ​​0.016 m3 x 0.400 x 6700 = 42.88 rubles.
• Crushed stone – 0.016 x 1.33 t x 3815 = 81.18 rubles.
• Sand – 0.016 t x 0.65X650 = 6.76 rub.
• Total: 130.82 rub./m.p.
• Cost of work for a sidewalk curb – 150 rub./m.p.
• Total full cost: 130.82+150= 282.82 rub./m.p.

Useful video

Furthermore regarding the subject of the article in the video:

Monolithic curbs made of concrete are a durable and strong option for a range of building requirements. Their strength and longevity are their main advantages, which make them perfect for high-traffic areas. Monolithic curbs, as opposed to segmental curbs, are poured in situ, guaranteeing a smooth, consistent structure that is resilient to high pressure and environmental stress.

Furthermore, concrete’s versatility opens up a world of design options. The curbs’ size, shape, and color can be altered by builders to meet the needs of a particular project. Because of their adaptability, they can be used for both practical and decorative purposes, such as landscaping and roads.

Furthermore, after installation, concrete monolithic curbs require little upkeep. Their sturdy design lessens the possibility of damage and displacement, which lowers the need for frequent repairs. Over time, this dependability results in cost savings because there are fewer maintenance costs and replacement requirements.

All things considered, selecting concrete monolithic curbs for building projects is a sensible and effective decision. Because of their strength, resilience, and adaptability in design, they can satisfy the requirements of a wide range of applications and offer a dependable and aesthetically pleasing solution.

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