We’re sure some people have questioned why most manhole covers are round— but unless they took the time to look it up, they probably forgot about it and moved on. Some might have guessed one or two of the reasons, but there are more. We’ll cover them in this blog post.
Simple Geometry
No matter how you rotate it, you can’t push a circle through a hole that’s the same size. The circle is one of the few shapes that work this way. This isn’t true for squares or rectangles, which are the other common shapes used for manhole covers. You could drop a square cover down its own hole on accident while installing it, but this wouldn’t happen with a circular one.
A circular manhole cover will hold strong, no matter where you apply pressure. A square one is stronger around its corners. Since people and cars move across manhole covers constantly, it’s crucial that they stay intact, which is why circles are used.
Easy To Install
Circular manhole covers are easy to position since their orientation doesn’t matter. Compared to a square or a rectangle, which must match up with their corners, circles are the superior choice. They’ll never shift out of place and since they’re easy to install, the workers can save time as well.
Even Easier To Move
Due to the nature of manhole covers, they can be quite heavy and difficult to lift without the help of another person. This is yet another way that circles are far superior: they never have to be picked up at all. If you need to move a round cover by yourself, you can simply roll it along the ground.
More Economical Overall
While it may be the least significant reason why most manhole covers are round, the fact that circle ones are cheaper to produce shouldn’t be overlooked. Since the shortest width of the cover determines the hole’s size, they require fewer materials to create. Circles have consistent width, so they take up the least amount of space.
Now that we’ve spent all this time talking them up, if you are in the market for a circular manhole cover, then you’ve come to the right place. You can customize them to whatever specifications you need, so check out the options available on our website.
