Structural Drainage
ABG manufacture and supply a wide range of geocomposite drainage layers designed for use with structures to alleviate hydrostatic pressure, control groundwater and manage surface water.
When compared to traditional drainage stone our Deckdrain and Fildrain ranges offer far more consistent performance and vastly superior filtration, and drainage performance, while also adding a layer of protection to the waterproofing.
Where filtration is not required, such as basement tanking or some tunnel applications, Cavidrain offers the same high performance.
Roofdrain offers drainage and attenuation for green roof applications, while our blueroof system allows roofs and podium areas within the footprint of the building to be used to manage rainwater run-off.
ABG Geosynthetics provide specialist technical advice on the best option to meet site requirements.
With applications ranging from cut and cover tunnelling to bridge abutments and retaining walls, our range of structural drainage products has it covered.
Typical Applications:
- Relief of external water pressure from buried structures
- Highways Bridge abutment and wingwall drainage
- Drainage behind retaining walls
- Covered reservoir roofs and walls
- Tunnel drainage / green tunnels
- Green bridge drainage
- Railway bridges, abutments and walls
- Roof garden drainage
- Block paving drainage
- Relief of uplift pressure beneath tanks, slabs and culverts
- Capillary break layer below base slabs
- Structural drainage
Benefits:
- Horizontal or vertical drainage applications (walls)
- Reduced thickness of drainage layers when compared to traditional aggregate drainage stone
- Reduced dead loads on structure means thinner slabs are possible
- High, factory controlled constant flow capacity
- Wide rolls of Deckdrain are suited for rapid installation, reducing construction time
- Enhances the performance of structural waterproofing by providing an additional barrier that prevents the majority of the water reaching the liner.
- High CBR puncture resistance of Deckdrain® provides protection.
- Allows use of lower specification backfill
- Reduced traffic volumes to site when compared with stone meaning reduced carbon footprint and fewer vehicle movements
Typical Client Profile:
- Waterproofing Contractors
- Drainage Contractors
- Water, Wastewater, and Utilities Companies
- Roofing Contractors
- Covered Reservoir Engineers
- Tunnel Engineers
- Green Roof Consultants and Designers
- Blue Roof Consultants and Designers
- Highways Engineers
- Railway Engineers
- Structural Engineers
ABG provide structural drainage systems for the following applications:
Paving and podium decks
Deckdrain provides factory consistent drainage in just a few millimetres thickness of geocomposite, which makes it ideal for use under block or permeable paving. Roofdrain and blueroof will also provide drainage but with the added benefit of storm water attenuation capacity.

Retaining walls and Bridge Abutments
Deckdrain can provide drainage up to 50 times more effective than drainage stone.That means achieving the same level of performance with vastly reduced vehicle movements when compared to traditional methods. Deckdrain is easy to install without specialist knowledge or equipment.
Buried Structures
When installed on the external faces of a buried structure Deckdrain collects and drains percolated groundwater. It prevents the majority of water reaching the waterproofing system, and provides an added layer of protection. The high compressive strength of Deckdrain means it is suitable even for very deep sub-surface structures such as potable water reservoirs, water/sewage treatment plants and basements. Deckdrain can also be used as a self-draining lost shutter when concrete is cast directly into the impermeable back.

Green Roofs and Blue Roofs
Roofdrain provides drainage and attenuation for green roofs. Where attenuation is not required Deckdrain can be used to provide a light-weight drainage layer underneath intensive green roofs and mixed use areas. Deckdrain has been engineered to be suitable in high load areas such as car parks and podium decks.
ABG have also developed our blueroof system to provides attenuation capacity for major storm events without the difficulties of underground tanks or land take for ponds and swales. ABG blueroof provides multiple SuDS compliant treatments to the run off as it discharges, along with a range of other environmental benefits.

Tunnel Structural Drainage

Tunnels - Cut & Cover
Deckdrain is a highly effective structural drainage layer when used on cut and cover tunnels and green tunnels, providing an effective and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional granular structural drainage. It provides a highly effective drainage zone against the structure, along with the additional benefit of acting as a durable protection layer for the chosen waterproofing system.
The HDPE cuspated core of the Deckdrain geocomposite provides a free flowing drainage void allowing water to flow in all directions, unlike linear or pipe systems. The cuspates are designed to support the stiffened filtration geotextile which is thermally bonded to the core to ensure that it does not deform into the drainage void under the pressure of the backfill material. The use of Deckdrain eliminates the need for further protection of the waterproofing system.

Tunnels - Internal Drainage
Inside the tunnel our Cavidrain Protector and Cavidrain Liner are used in the lining system to provide drainage, while also reducing the amount of sprayed concrete lost to rebound. Cavidrain Invert provides tunnel invert drainage with a much reduced excavation, greatly reducing the requirement for drainage stone and reducing construction time.

Green Bridges & Tunnels
ABG Deckdrain geocomposite is in the construction of green bridges and green tunnels to protect the waterproofing and provide drainage to the structure, which removes the need for bulky porous blocks and the logistical challenge of importing granular fill.


Case Studies
ABG blueroof Green Extensive Huddersfield University UK Case Study
ABG blueroof Green Intensive St Pauls Sheffield UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Biodiverse Green Roof Bradford UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Biodiverse Regent Street London UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Extensive Center Parcs Woburn UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Extensive Erosaweb Cross Green Leeds UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Intensive Mei Foo Station Hong Kong CASE STUDY
ABG Structural Drainage Bridge Abutment Deckdrain Heysham to M6 UK CASE STUDY
ABG Structural Drainage Bridge Abutment Deckdrain Port Talbot Dist Road UK CASE STUDY
ABG Structural Drainage Reservoir Base Uplift Deckdrain Rushmoor UK CASE STUDY
ABG Structural Drainage Wall Deckdrain Delhi-Agra Road India CASE STUDY
ABG Structural Drainage Wall Deckdrain Eastern Expressway Delhi India CASE STUDY
ABG Tunnel Drainage Cavidrain Invert Legacy Brisbane Australia CASE STUDY
ABG Tunnel Drainage Invert Deckdrain Pladutsch, Graz, Austria CASE STUDY
Reference Lists
Products DownloadsCase Studies
ABG blueroof Green Extensive Huddersfield University UK Case Study
ABG blueroof Green Intensive St Pauls Sheffield UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Biodiverse Green Roof Bradford UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Biodiverse Regent Street London UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Extensive Center Parcs Woburn UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Extensive Erosaweb Cross Green Leeds UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Intensive Mei Foo Station Hong Kong CASE STUDY
ABG Structural Drainage Bridge Abutment Deckdrain Heysham to M6 UK CASE STUDY
ABG Structural Drainage Bridge Abutment Deckdrain Port Talbot Dist Road UK CASE STUDY
ABG Structural Drainage Reservoir Base Uplift Deckdrain Rushmoor UK CASE STUDY
ABG Structural Drainage Wall Deckdrain Delhi-Agra Road India CASE STUDY
ABG Structural Drainage Wall Deckdrain Eastern Expressway Delhi India CASE STUDY
ABG Tunnel Drainage Cavidrain Invert Legacy Brisbane Australia CASE STUDY
ABG Tunnel Drainage Invert Deckdrain Pladutsch, Graz, Austria CASE STUDY
Reference Lists
Case Studies
ABG blueroof Green Extensive Huddersfield University UK Case Study
ABG blueroof Green Intensive St Pauls Sheffield UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Biodiverse Green Roof Bradford UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Biodiverse Regent Street London UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Extensive Center Parcs Woburn UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Extensive Erosaweb Cross Green Leeds UK CASE STUDY
ABG Green Roof Intensive Mei Foo Station Hong Kong CASE STUDY
ABG Structural Drainage Bridge Abutment Deckdrain Heysham to M6 UK CASE STUDY
ABG Structural Drainage Bridge Abutment Deckdrain Port Talbot Dist Road UK CASE STUDY
ABG Structural Drainage Reservoir Base Uplift Deckdrain Rushmoor UK CASE STUDY
ABG Structural Drainage Wall Deckdrain Delhi-Agra Road India CASE STUDY
ABG Structural Drainage Wall Deckdrain Eastern Expressway Delhi India CASE STUDY
ABG Tunnel Drainage Cavidrain Invert Legacy Brisbane Australia CASE STUDY
ABG Tunnel Drainage Invert Deckdrain Pladutsch, Graz, Austria CASE STUDY
Reference Lists
Contact ABG for further information
Fill out our quick contact form with your product, application, technical or sales enquiry, and one of our team will be in contact shortly.
