Case Study: Al Ain City Municipality achieves theft‑resistant 5‑cm, 25‑ton gully covers with Bentley (STAAD, OpenFlows, AssetWise)

The City of Al Ain Pioneers Solution to Replace Stolen Gully Covers

Al Ain City Municipality faced widespread theft of iron gully covers across the city and launched an AED 10 million program to replace tens of thousands of units with a lighter, less-recyclable alternative that still met BS EN 124 and a 25‑ton load requirement while remaining under 5 cm thick and durable in extreme heat. To tackle this, the municipality worked with Bentley, using AssetWise as a central data repository and STAAD and OpenFlows for structural modeling, hydraulic visualization, and simulation.

Bentley’s applications enabled integrated modeling, parallel design analysis, and scenario testing, and the interoperable data was shared with external mechanical designers to refine shear reinforcement and achieve the required capacity. The solution delivered a 5‑cm composite gully cover that meets standards and withstands >60°C, has been rolled out to thousands of gullies, produced an 8% net material savings, reduced maintenance by limiting debris ingress, and helped prevent further theft.

Al Ain City Municipality