Glass-Steel, Inc. manufactures a proprietary system of composite effluent troughs for water collection in the water/wastewater applications.  Troughs are typically used in clarifiers (both circular and rectangular), grit collectors, sedimentation basins, thickeners, filter systems, etc.  Glass-Steel, Inc.’s composite troughs offer features and benefits not available in pre-cast or cast in place concrete troughs, aluminum troughs, stainless steel troughs, galvanized or painted steel troughs, or conventional fiberglass troughs.

Glass-Steel, Inc. composite toughs utilize a glass reinforced fiberglass skin on the inner and outer surfaces with a polymer concrete core.  Typically our trough walls are 1-1/2” thick with 1/8” fiberglass skins although different thickness can be produced.  Because the entire system is made with Isophthalic polyester resin the composite is impermeable to water absorption, the sandwich type construction acts as a monolithic unit, and all components have the same coefficient of thermal expansion (we can also make vinylester, epoxy, or other resin systems).  

Because of the mass of the composite troughs we do not need any spreader devices or exterior bracing of any kind.  Our mass also creates a moment of inertia that allows us to clear span distances of over 14’ on our shallowest & widest trough to over 40’0” on our narrowest & deepest trough without the need for intermediate supports or lateral stabilizers.  This means that all of our troughs are easily walk able for maintenance purposes and they require less or no additional structural supports.  In the instances as in rectangular clarifiers where troughs can be over 50’ in length we do require an end support and at least one intermediate support.

Glass-Steel, Inc. composite troughs are competitive with all other conventional type troughs on a dollar to dollar per foot cost basis.  They are less than half the cost of stainless, far less than aluminum, less than or equal to most conventional fiberglass troughs.  Also the benefits of longer clear span capability, no internal spreaders, smooth uninterrupted inside & outside surfaces, easier installation, and less maintenance and you have an economically superior system to any other trough system available.

The following are drawings and load tables indication some standard details and attachment methods for some standard sizes and configurations of troughs.  Troughs are furnished in round bottom or square bottom configurations and can be furnished as straight or curved sections.  Glass-Steel, Inc. also furnished custom trough with tapered sides and or bottoms, etc.  Our side mount troughs eliminate the expense of forming and pouring in place concrete extended wall troughs.  Glass-Steel, Inc. also custom builds drop troughs and other accessories

GLASS•STEEL® TROUGH DESIGNS:

  •  MEET OR EXCEED ALL AWWA F101-07 DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

  •  SUPERIOR STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES VS ALL OTHER FRP TROUGHS   (see table below and tables at the end of this data)

  •  LATERAL SUPPORTS ARE NEVER REQUIRED

  •  SPREADER BARS ARE NEVER REQUIRED

  •  DESIGNS AVAILABLE TO CLEAR SPAN 50 FT

  •  AVAILABLE IN MULTIPLE CROSS SECTION SHAPES

  •  LOWEST LIFETIME COST VS STEEL, ALUMINUM, STAINLESS

  •  LOWEST INSTALLED LABOR COST

  •  LOWEST MAINTENANCE COST, LONGEST INSTALLED LIFE

  •  STANDARD 5 YEAR WARRANTY, 10 YR AVAIL ON REQUEST.

  •  EACH GLASS·STEEL INC. TROUGH IS CUSTOMER SPECIFIED 

  •  IN MOST INSTALLATIONS GLASS·STEEL® TROUGHS CAN BE USED AS SUPPORT  FOR OTHER EQUIPMENT

  • AFTER INSTALLATION MAINTENANCE PERSONELL CAN WALK IN A   GLASS-STEEL® TROUGH W/O A TRIP HAZARD

  •  POLYMER CONCRETE CORE HAS SUPERIOR STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES AND PERFORMANCE vs. CONCRETE IN WATER AND WWTP ENVIRONS

  •  NSF61 DESIGNS AVAILABLE