Custom Linear Drain System Designed for High-Duty Infrastructure
Custom Linear Drain solutions are redefining how modern infrastructure manages surface water under heavy and complex loading conditions. In airports, highways, logistics yards, terminals and dense urban streetscapes, standard point drains are often no longer sufficient. Continuous interception along the pavement edge or centreline is required to reduce ponding, minimise hydroplaning risk, protect pavements from freeze - thaw damage and avoid costly corrective maintenance.
As a specialist manufacturer, CMSA engineers each Custom Linear Drain system to match the hydraulic, structural and architectural requirements of the project. Using high-quality polymer concrete channels and configurable gratings, outlets and accessories, CMSA delivers drainage systems that integrate cleanly with kerbs, slabs, asphalt and rail tracks while maintaining high performance over decades of service.
What Is a Custom Linear Drain System?
A Custom Linear Drain system is a continuous trench-like drainage solution configured to the geometry and demands of a specific site, rather than relying on fixed, off-the-shelf components.
At its core, a tailored drainage consists of:
• Linear channel bodies in high-strength polymer concrete (straight runs, sumps and transitions)
• Grates, slots or covers in ductile iron, galvanised steel or stainless steel
• Outlets and sumps with end, side or bottom connections to the pipe network
• Accessories such as end caps, silt buckets, catch pits and sealing compounds
What makes it "custom” is the ability to adjust key parameters:
• Tailored clear widths and depths (for example from 100 mm up to 500 mm)
• Built-in falls, stepped gradients or constant-depth channels
• Custom outlet locations and connection diameters
• Project-specific grating types, load classes (up to heavy aircraft traffic) and anti-slip patterns
• Integration with kerbs, concrete slabs, asphalt pavements, rail corridors and architectural finishes
Compared with traditional point drains, a Custom Linear Drain system enables continuous interception of water along the length of traffic lanes and aprons, reduces the number of low points, simplifies grading and improves capture efficiency on wide pavements. The main requirement is accurate level setting and careful installation over long runs - a task CMSA supports with detailed drawings and installation guidance.
Benefits of Choosing a Custom Linear Drain
Superior Hydraulic Performance
A custom heavy-duty linear drain system can be dimensioned for local rainfall data, catchment size, surface slopes and allowable ponding depth. By combining appropriate clear widths, channel depths and fall configurations, CMSA designs systems that remove water quickly along:
•Taxiways and aircraft aprons
•Multi-lane highways and ramps
•Bus corridors and tram platforms
•Urban plazas and terminal forecourts
This targeted design reduces standing water, enhances skid resistance and supports safe operations even during intense storm events.
Structural Strength and Load Capacity
CMSA uses polymer concrete custom trench channels characterised by:
•High compressive strength and impact resistance
•Low water absorption and excellent freeze - thaw durability
•Chemical resistance to fuels, oils, de-icing salts and cleaning agents
Combined with appropriately selected ductile iron or steel gratings, systems can be specified across a wide range of load classes, from pedestrian areas to heavy truck and aircraft zones.
Architectural Integration and Clean Aesthetics
Custom grating patterns, discreet slot drains and carefully aligned edges allow the Custom Linear Drain system to support architectural intent:
•In terminals and public buildings, stainless steel or galvanised grates can follow paving patterns for a clean, continuous visual line.
•In streetscapes and plazas, slot drains offer minimal visual impact while still delivering high hydraulic capacity.
Our Custom Linear Drain System in Polymer Concrete
CMSA's bespoke channels platform is based on high-quality polymer concrete, designed for long-term reliability with minimal maintenance.
Key characteristics include:
•Modular yet lightweight construction for easier handling on site
•Various fall possibilities: linear fall, stepped fall or no fall where levels are constrained
•Almost wear-free operation with long service life
•Recyclable materials that help protect groundwater and support environmental objectives
CMSA configures systems for:
•Shallow channels in confined build-ups around buildings and refurbishments
•Deep channels in high-flow corridors such as main access roads or apron drainage lines
•Load classes ranging from light pedestrian usage to F900 heavy industrial and aircraft traffic
By combining these options, CMSA can provide custom infrastructure linear drain solutions for airports, roads, city infrastructure, terminals, industrial platforms, parking areas and more.
How to Specify the Right Custom Linear Drain System
The correct tailored drainage configuration is the result of a methodical design process, not a standard catalogue choice.
Hydraulic Performance Checkpoints
Drainage efficiency is governed by:
•Local design rainfall intensity and frequency of occurrence
•Extent of the catchment and its surface finish (bituminous, concrete slab, modular paving)
•Available falls along the channel and across the carriageway or apron
With CMSA's hydraulic design support, including software tools and project-specific calculations, designers can confidently select custom trench system that align with flow, safety and serviceability targets.
Structural Loads and Safety Factors
For each zone, channel bodies and gratings must be matched to expected wheel loads from:
•Passenger cars and buses
•Heavy trucks and forklifts
•Airport ground support equipment and aircraft
Adequate safety factors and compliance with recognised load classifications are crucial for long-term integrity and safety.
Installation Depth and Interfaces
Space constraints often dictate channel depth and profile. CMSA assists with:
•Coordination of channel levels with kerbs, concrete slabs, asphalt layers and rail tracks
•Avoidance of clashes with underground utilities and ducts
•Detailing of movement joints and waterproofing interfaces
•Material And Environmental Resistance
High-quality polymer concrete provides:
•Strong resistance to chemical attack
•Low permeability, protecting surrounding soil and groundwater
•Robust behaviour under thermal and mechanical cycling
This makes it well suited to de-icing zones, fuel handling areas and intensive washdown locations.
Custom Linear Drain System Maintenance and Cleaning
Even a high-performance tailored drainage for airports and roads requires planned maintenance to sustain performance.
Regular activities should include:
•Visual inspections to identify debris accumulation, damaged gratings or cracked surrounding concrete/asphalt
•Periodic removal of grates or slot covers, cleaning of silt buckets and strainers, and flushing of channels and sumps
•Protection of channels during construction to prevent contamination by concrete slurry, asphalt or other site waste
Where slow drainage, localised ponding or rattling gratings occur, CMSA's technical team can assist in diagnosing causes and recommending corrective measures.
Advantages of Custom Linear Drain vs Point Drainage
Custom trench system configurations often provide a more robust solution than traditional point drains in large, hard-paved areas.
•Hydraulic performance - By collecting runoff all along the channel, linear drainage mitigates the risk that water will flow past a small, localised point inlet.
•Design simplicity - Designers can rely on long, consistent falls to a linear drain instead of creating numerous local falls towards individual gulleys.
•Installation efficiency - One continuous trench with modular tailored drainage units can be faster to construct and easier to coordinate than several separate excavation and pipework locations.
•Maintenance and access - Straight, continuous runs with removable grating or slot access are easier to inspect and clean.
•Long-term appearance - Over time, linear drainage retains its crisp lines and alignment with paving and kerbs, supporting a clean, contemporary aesthetic that matches modern architectural expectations.
Choose CMSA as Your Custom Linear Drain Partner
CMSA offers a complete service around bespoke channels in high-performance polymer concrete, including:
- Site-specific hydraulic assessments and design calculations
- Tailored product recommendations and preliminary layout schemes
- Fully detailed drawings, sections and BIM files for coordination
- Installation guidance on site and routine follow-up inspections
Whether your focus is an airport expansion, major road upgrade, passenger terminal, logistics park or revitalised streetscape, CMSA can help you develop a custom trench system solution that meets stringent technical, safety and sustainability goals. Our engineering team works alongside consultants and contractors to turn your drainage concept into a reliable, buildable design.
