The memorial sculpture for Officer Sean Collier was unveiled Wednesday, April 29, 2015 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to honor the MIT police officer killed in the line of duty by the Boston Marathon bombers in 2013. ACO Polymer Products, a world leader in trench drains, provided 130 feet of the KS100 drainage system to the project, complete with a stainless steel Brickslot grate and access units.
Due to the extreme winter weather and amount of surface water at the site, contractor James W. Flett Co. needed a durable, yet discreet, drainage solution for the memorial. ACO’s KS100 system was selected for its durable polymer concrete channel body and 4-inch internal width drain as well as the stainless steel Brickslot grate that blends in with the paving joints of the brick pavers at the site.
Surface drainage is a critical factor to consider when planning parks, city spaces and plazas. Standing water can cause severe structural damage, including cracked foundations, settling, degradation of adjoining building materials and freeze-thaw issues, not to mention the safety hazard of water collection on pedestrian areas.
Construction of the memorial, which was designed by J. Meejin Yoon, the head of MIT’s architecture department, was an engineering feat, given the 32 massive pieces of polished New Hampshire granite that weighed a total of 190 tons and the unique arched shape. The memorial is now open as a place of remembrance and as a gathering point for the MIT community.
ACO Drain systems consist of manufactured modular trench channel units made from either corrosion-resistant polymer concrete or fiberglass, together with grates from a variety of materials for all loading applications. Systems are available in 2-, 4-, 8- and 12-inch internal widths, and are available with up to 130 feet (40 m) of built-in continuous slope. Its drainage systems offer light to heavy duty solutions for traffic ranging from pedestrians to jumbo jets. ACO supports its business with extensive stocking, technical sales support, and world class customer service.
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