Hybrid Design - COVERLINE® Dome Tunnel

An OTEXIO Hybrid Design: A COVERLINE® Dome Tunnel on Uprights

A subsidiary of a large group specializing in waste collection and treatment recently approached OTEXIO to implement a custom storage solution tailored to its specific needs.

After securing the contract for collecting Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in its region, the site had to make several adjustments to safely store this type of sensitive and hazardous waste, harmful to humans and the environment. Packed in pallet boxes, the WEEE must be stored in areas protected from the weather and sectioned into cells to prevent potential fires from spreading across the site.

CLIENT'S CHALLENGE: A COVERED, WATERTIGHT STORAGE SPACE

Due to the harmful substances contained in Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), which is classified as hazardous waste, its storage and treatment are subject to strict standards at host sites. To better distribute risks, WEEE is stored in pallet boxes, and many waste operators opt for outdoor storage for additional space and flexibility.

With the arrival of hundreds of pallet boxes that needed to be kept protected from water and fire, our client required a solution that combined site security, material preservation, and team productivity.

Stacking the pallet boxes on two levels was feasible, so a required covering height of 3.5m was needed. The entire setup had to be placed on two concrete block storage cells to contain any potential fire outbreaks.

Initially, our client explored the option of a dome tunnel, set on concrete block cells to be installed. However, this was not conclusive: the ridge height of nearly 8m did not restrict rainwater entry and was oversized for the actual usage.

Based on current regulations imposed by the DREAL (Regional Directorate for the Environment, Planning, and Housing) and the site's geometry, this waste treatment operator sought to explore more affordable and appropriate solutions for their actual needs.

THE SOLUTION PROPOSED BY OTEXIO

With its expertise in civil engineering, network, and COVERLINE product range, OTEXIO was able to propose the right solution—custom-made and unprecedented (specifically designed for this project)—to meet all client requirements. OTEXIO’s methodology was once again applied and followed these steps:

Framing Phase: Our experts visited the site to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the needs, understand the operational and safety issues of the client and their project, ask the right questions, and gradually clarify the optimal solution.
Design Phase: Our design office then took charge of conducting soil studies, load calculations (related to the pressure of the stored materials and the site's topography), and other technical analyses of the site provided by the client to offer a turnkey adapted solution.
Implementation Phase: The solution involved the installation of two cells (total dimensions of 7.2m x 9.6m x 3.2m height) in 160x80x80cm concrete blocks certified REI 240 to address fire safety concerns on-site. Following these recommendations, the client then conducted in-house soil studies and designed strip footings to ensure the stability of the future structure.

OTEXIO subsequently highlighted the design of a hybrid metal-textile building: a COVERLINE® dome tunnel mounted on 1.8m upright supports, measuring 8m x 10m in depth for a total of 5 meters above ground. This 5-meter ridge height is more than sufficient to provide adequate maneuvering space for mechanical equipment and the storage of stacked pallet boxes. A half-moon and gutters were installed to ensure the structure's watertightness and protection against rainwater under the cover (reducing rainwater entry by nearly 45%).

Manufactured from high-elasticity steel (HLE), our tunnels are designed according to the European standard EUROCODE Building NF EN 1993-1-1, guaranteeing structural integrity regardless of location.
The covering textile, which is fully flame-retardant through an M2 treatment, minimizes fire risks and protects the client's site.

RESULT: A TAILORED, CUSTOMIZED SOLUTION

Today, our client is completely satisfied with the solution implemented by OTEXIO. Thanks to this custom-designed hybrid COVERLINE® tunnel, OTEXIO addressed unique challenges by managing the project from A to Z, leveraging its expertise and network. The pallet boxes are now stored safely from the elements on a secure, fully operational site that aligns with the client’s established practices.

Learn More

For any specific requests or to arrange a technician visit, contact us:

Phone: 04 78 52 06 51
Email: contact@otexio.com
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