Perimeter and Protection ElementsProducts
An anti-hail net post is a prestressed precast concrete post that carries the netting stretched over orchards to protect fruit from hail, sunburn and birds. It holds up both the net and the wires that support the trees in a single framework.
An anti-hail net post is a slender prestressed precast concrete post set along the tree rows of an orchard to carry the protective netting stretched above them. Together with the support wires running over their tops and the net itself, the posts form a system that covers the orchard.
A single hailstorm can wipe out a whole season's crop in an apple, pear or cherry orchard. Netting systems reduce this risk and, depending on the net used, can also protect against sunburn and bird damage. The posts carry the weight of the net, the load of hail collecting on it and the effect of wind. The same posts can also carry the training wires to which dwarf and semi-dwarf trees are tied, combining tree support and netting in a single framework.
A netting system is made up of intermediate posts within the row, stronger end posts at the head of each row and ground anchors that pull the end posts outwards. End posts are usually set at a slight angle and tied back to the anchor with a guy wire. Caps fitted to the post tops let the net and wires sit on the post without damage. Post length and section are chosen to suit tree height, row spacing, the type of net and local wind conditions.
Because net posts are long and slender, they are made by prestressing. Steel strands are tensioned along long casting beds; once the concrete has been cast and cured, the force in the strands is transferred to the concrete. This makes the post more resistant to bending and cracking than a conventionally reinforced post of the same section and reduces the risk of breakage during handling and installation. Posts are checked for dimensions, straightness and surface quality before stocking.
Posts are delivered to the orchard in stacks. They are either driven by machine or placed in dug holes, with the embedment depth set by the ground and the post length. Once the end posts have been tensioned against their anchors, the support wires are strung and the net is laid out. In winter the net can be gathered and tied up to keep snow off it, while the posts and wires stay in place for many years.
A netting system is usually planned together with tree planting when a new orchard is laid out, so that the post rows run in line with the tree rows and machinery can move freely between them. End posts and anchors at the head of each row are the most heavily stressed points of the system and are given particular care. As the colour and mesh of the net affect the light reaching the trees, the net is chosen to suit the fruit variety and the region.
Dimensions, reinforcement and load capacity are set by structural design for each project; contact us for technical details.
Infrastructure Elements
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Perimeter and Protection Elements
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Facade and Floor Elements
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