PermaTrak Australia Project Profiles

Challenge

In the Town of Vincent, the historic landscape is the focal point of a heavily traveled public walkway. The town’s challenge was to design a system that allowed for a walkway to pass between two majestic Moreton Bay fig trees that were only 16 ft. apart while not damaging the interlocking root system.

Solution

The PermaTrak system was chosen because its precast foundation system (piers/risers/caps) did not require it to be driven into the sub grade. Unlike traditional timber construction methods that require driven piles for foundation support, PermaTrak’s precast piers were installed at grade and easily handled by laborers. The small footprint of the piers was positioned away from the trees’ root system. The substructure (beams and treads) complemented the piers with horizontal and vertical flexibility, allowing the walkway to meander over the root system and between the tree trunks.

Challenge

The City of Penrith was faced with persistent vandals who were removing the timber planks, thus creating unsafe conditions for the public. The designers’ challenge was to evaluate the life-cycle costs, including maintenance, and to design the most economical, “vandal-resistant” boardwalk system.

Solution

The PermaTrak system was chosen because its weight alone was a deterrent to persistent vandals in the City of Penrith. Previously, some 30 timber boards had been removed by vandals. City Council decided the PermaTrak system was the best answer, as standard PermaTrak treads weigh between 150 and 1550 lbs., depending upon design live load and horizontal clearance requirements. Adjacent treads are interlocked via a tongue and groove system, another deterrent to theft. Additionally, the precast concrete treads will not warp, sustain mold growth, and are fireproof.

Challenge

The developer, Urban Land Corporation, wanted to create a subdivision where its residents could enjoy the area’s natural beauty. The challenge was to provide access pathways over the wetlands in a manner that was environmentally friendly and blended in with the existing landscape.

Solution

The PermaTrak system was chosen because of its flexibility to meander over the wetlands. Tapered treads were used to create horizontal curves in the boardwalk alignment, while vertical curves were created by varying the quantity of precast risers in the piers. The Melbourne Tan color was selected to blend the treads into their surroundings. This low-profile walkway provides the local community with opportunities to view birds and wildlife, as well as run or bike around the attractive landscape. The boardwalk became a focal point and ultimately the name for this single-family home development.

Challenge

Coastal environments can impart the harshest conditions on structures. Designers must ensure these structures will endure these conditions and that they will perform year-in and year-out. Annual maintenance and replacement costs must be considered as part of this long-term performance evaluation. The boardwalk must be capable of withstanding environmental elements such as erosion, wind, and humid conditions. The City of Gosford’s challenge was to design a system that was the most cost-effective, long-term performance solution in this coastal environment.

Solution

The PermaTrak™ system was chosen because of its lower cost and virtually maintenance-free benefits compared to timber. Timber was originally specified by the designer, despite anticipated future maintenance costs, and was revised to the PermaTrak system. According to Council Bridge and Wharf Supervisor John Howick, “...there were concerns with the performance of timber in this particular mangrove environment. With the boardwalk being low level and susceptible to moisture and moss growth, it was decided concrete was more suitable for this installation.”

Request a literature brochure on the PermaTrak system or see more photos of completed concrete boardwalks in our gallery.

Challenge

The owner, National Parks and Wildlife, wanted to alleviate major soil erosion and compaction problems caused by high visitor traffic at this popular national park and penguin conservation site. They also wanted a system that required virtually zero maintenance due to the severe coastal conditions.

Solution

The owner selected the PermaTrak system for a number of reasons. The PermaTrak system’s precast pier components allowed for all the foundation elements to be easily transported over the rocky, hilly terrain with minimal disturbance to the wildlife habitat. Additionally, the use of piers respected the wishes of the indigenous community who requested no intrusion into the ground surface. The durability of a completely precast concrete system also provided a superior solution from a maintenance standpoint compared to traditional timber options.

Challenge

The historic town of Strathalbyn had an existing weir on a stream that under extreme storm events experienced high water velocities. The challenge was to provide the most economical crossing across this stream at the weir location without removing the weir or impeding the stream flow.

Solution

The PermaTrak boardwalk system was chosen for multiple reasons: speed of installation, flexibility to existing site conditions, durability, and low maintenance requirements. All of these solutions contributed to improvement of public safety. The recreational access across this stream was achieved with a creative pier solution that attached to the top of the concrete weir. The precast treads then rested on prefabricated steel T-beams which were chemically glued to an existing weir wall.

The PermaTrak precast boardwalk was manufactured in an attractive tan color with a non-slip surface finish. Steel handrails were quickly and easily clamped to the treads using customized fixtures. Once the abutments and steel beams were set, it took two days to install the concrete boardwalk system and handrails.