By John Ford, Engineer and Director, ENCAT Australia
Published October 2026 | Last reviewed October 2026
John Ford founded ENCAT Australia in 1989 and has spent more than 35 years designing and manufacturing public safety and civil infrastructure in Wollongong, NSW. He designed and patented the ENCAT truck resistant kerb lintel, which has been installed at over 100 sites since 2019, including a problem corner in Dapto.
When the precast lintel on the drawing is not the right answer
Most council standard drawings show a precast concrete lintel over the kerb inlet. For most streets that is the right choice considering the type of vehicles that will go past them.
Although at corners where heavy vehicles such as trucks or buses may drive over the kerb, it is not, and the same lintel will most likely need to be replaced again and again due to constant damage.
This article is for the engineers, designers and civil works officers who want to use something else at those sites that can save money on maintenance but who also may need to justify it.
It covers the options, how a steel lintel compares with precast concrete, and how to get a steel lintel approved where the drawing specifies precast.
Why precast concrete lintels fail at heavy vehicle corners
In short: precast lintels are designed for the loads of a standard kerb, not for truck and bus wheels driving over them.
A precast concrete lintel spans the opening of a stormwater pit: a gully pit or kerb inlet pit in NSW, or a side entry pit in Victoria. It is designed for the loads of a standard kerb.
As we know though, at some corners, heavy vehicles mount the kerb as a matter of routine, because the road is narrow, the corner radius is tight, or traffic and street furniture leave no room for a wider turn that would avoid it.
The wheel loads are higher than the concrete can take so over time it cracks, breaks, and falls into the pit. Putting another precast lintel back into the same conditions gives the same result.
Where truck and bus traffic is high, a concrete lintel is often replaced several times a year, at about $14,900 a repair. We break down those costs in this article Why kerb lintels keep breaking, and what repeat repairs cost councils.
The options compared
In short: like for like and higher rated precast units both still break where heavy vehicles keep driving over them. Redesigning the corner works but costs the most.
| Option | When it makes sense | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Replace with the same precast concrete lintel | One-off damage, such as a single accident | Will break again if heavy vehicles drive over it |
| Higher rated concrete lintel or lintel and full kerb unit | Where there is no expectation of high wheel loads | Will break again if heavy vehicles with excessive loads drive over it |
| ENCAT steel lintel fitted to the existing drain | Corners with repeated heavy vehicle damage, or where heavy loads are planned | Supplied and fitted for about a third of the cost of one concrete repair |
| Redesign the corner | Major road works are already planned for the site | Highest cost and longest lead time |
For state roads in NSW, Transport for NSW keeps a list of approved precast stormwater drainage products, including reinforced concrete and wet cast lintels and lintel and full kerb units. In Victoria, the Department of Transport and Planning drainage specifications do the same job.
How the ENCAT steel lintel compares
In short: the steel lintel fits over the existing concrete lintel in one to two hours, matches the kerb, and is built for wheel loads over 30 tonnes.
| Precast concrete lintel | ENCAT steel lintel | |
|---|---|---|
| Load | Designed for the loads of a standard kerb | Built for truck and bus wheel loads in excess of 30 tonnes |
| Fit to the existing pit | The broken lintel is broken out and replaced, often with the top of the pit and kerb | Fitted over the existing lintel. Suits gully pits, kerb inlet pits, side entry pits and extended kerb inlets (EKI) |
| Kerb profile | Set by the precast unit | Made to match barrier, semi-mountable and roll-over kerbs, straight or radial, any length or opening |
| Time on site | Excavation, formwork and curing, with about 3 days of traffic control | 1 to 2 hours |
| Finish | Concrete | Hot dip galvanised steel with a checkerplate anti-slip top, silver to blend with the concrete guttering |
| Access to the pit | Fixed | Removable by unbolting |
| Typical cost | About $14,900 per repair | $4,900 ex GST supplied and fitted (2.4m), subject to location |
| After installation | Breaks again at a problem corner | No repairs needed at our installations since 2019 |
The lintel is bolted down onto the existing lintel and gutter with stainless steel chemset fixings. The top fixings are countersunk so they do not create a trip hazard. Full specifications are on the truck resistant kerb lintel page.
Getting a steel lintel approved
In short: many council drawings already allow an approved alternative to the precast lintel. The request needs to show the site, the damage history, and that the steel lintel matches the kerb.
Standard drawings often leave the door open. City of Sydney drawings specify a precast concrete lintel “or as approved”. City of Port Phillip names a precast lintel “or equivalent approved by Council to match colour and profile of adjacent kerb”. In other words, councils will consider an alternative if it matches the kerb and is approved.
When you ask the council or road authority to accept the ENCAT lintel, include:
- the site location, with photos of the damaged lintel and the corner
- the damage history: how often the lintel has been replaced, and what each repair cost
- why the site is a problem, such as a tight corner radius, a bus or freight route, or planned heavy loads
- the product details: load rating, material, finish and patent (Australian Innovation Patent No. 2019100358)
- how it matches the colour and profile of the adjacent kerb
- the installation method: fitted over the existing lintel, bolted down, and removable for pit access
- our 100% money back guarantee if the lintel fails in service.
The lintel started with exactly this kind of request.
On the Princes Highway at Unanderra, a concrete lintel was constantly being broken by low loader trucks carrying heavy mining equipment to a mine site. We were asked to solve it, so we designed, patented and installed the ENCAT lintel.
There has been no damage or maintenance at that site since. Many councils have since come to us with the same problem, and have solved it the same way.
Where it has been used
In short: over 100 installations since 2019, on council and state roads, from Dapto to the Northern Beaches.
ENCAT lintels have been installed for councils including Armidale, Northern Beaches, Newcastle and Wollongong. Some recent examples:
- Station Street, Dapto, where a concrete lintel on a tight bus and truck corner lasted between 1 week and 6 months each time it was replaced.
- Near the Port of Newcastle, where we fitted steel lintels over intact concrete lintels before trucks carrying wind turbine blades drove over the kerb. See upgrading before the damage happens.
- The Princes Highway at Unanderra, where low loaders carrying mining equipment kept breaking the concrete lintel.
The video below shows the Dapto corner: the broken concrete lintel, and the steel lintel that replaced it.
Getting a site assessed
In short: send us photos and the drain length, and we will tell you whether a steel lintel suits the site and what it will cost.
Send us photos of the damaged lintel and the corner, the length of the drain opening, and whether the kerb is straight or curved. We will tell you whether a steel lintel suits the site, and what it will cost.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an alternative to precast concrete kerb lintels?
Yes. At corners where heavy vehicles keep breaking precast lintels, the options are a higher rated precast unit, a steel lintel, or redesigning the corner. The ENCAT steel lintel is fitted over the existing lintel in one to two hours and is built for truck and bus wheel loads.
Can we use a steel lintel where our standard drawing specifies a precast lintel?
Often, yes. Many council drawings specify a precast concrete lintel “or as approved” or “or equivalent approved by Council”. That wording allows an alternative product that matches the kerb, so the ENCAT lintel can be put forward for approval.
Can it replace an extended kerb inlet (EKI) lintel?
Yes. Each lintel is made to the length and opening of the pit, including gully pits with an extended kerb inlet.
Does it fit side entry pits as well as gully pits?
Yes. The lintel is measured and made for each site, so it suits gully pits, kerb inlet pits and side entry pits, with barrier, semi-mountable or roll-over kerbs.
Can the steel lintel be removed to get into the pit?
Yes. It is bolted down, so it can be removed by unbolting it.
How much does a steel kerb lintel cost?
A standard 2.4m ENCAT steel lintel is $1,900 ex GST supply only, or $4,900 ex GST supplied and fitted, subject to location. Other lengths and curved lintels are quoted to suit the site.
Is there a guarantee?
Yes. The ENCAT lintel comes with a 100% money back guarantee if it fails in service.
