3 ms·

Manhole covers are round if they cover a pipe and square if they cover a brick built manhole. Your note about them not falling in makes me wonder if Google had

Manhole covers are round if they cover a pipe and square if they cover a brick built manhole. Your note about them not falling in makes me wonder if Google had a different answer?

SECProto 4y ago
> Manhole covers are round if they cover a pipe and square if they cover a brick built manhole This is inaccurate as a generalization - in the three jurisdictions I've worked in, they're round if they're newer than ~1990, and mix of round and square (or two triangles that go together to make a square) if they're older than that. The frame and cover are replaced independently from the MH structure itself so the cover doesn't tell you anything about the makeup of the structure.
- jimnotgym 4y ago
  Not quite true. The cover itself has to be supported by a structure. The frame itself is insufficient. If you put a round cover on a square hole it would cave in if a truck ran over it.
  - SECProto 4y ago
    Catch basins in my jurisdiction have round covers on a square structure. The cast iron frame is square with a circular hole in the top. Edit: for example https://maps.app.goo.gl/m8rR4vrPHBPTyXxo9 https://maps.app.goo.gl/m8rR4vrPHBPTyXxo9
tomhoward 4y ago
> Your note about them not falling in makes me wonder if Google had a different answer? It's the kind of question that's asked in interviews because it has several answers and a good candidate should be able to think it through and suggest a reasonable number of them and demonstrate their ability to creatively think through a problem. That round covers can't fall in seems one of the simplest and most important, given that a cover that falls in could kill or seriously injure a worker. https://www.livescience.com/32441-why-are-manhole-covers-round.html https://www.livescience.com/32441-why-are-manhole-covers-rou...

3 ms·

Manhole covers are round if they cover a pipe and square if they cover a brick built manhole. Your note about them not falling in makes me wonder if Google had

by jimnotgym 4y ago

Manhole covers are round if they cover a pipe and square if they cover a brick built manhole. Your note about them not falling in makes me wonder if Google had a different answer?

SECProto 4y ago
> Manhole covers are round if they cover a pipe and square if they cover a brick built manhole This is inaccurate as a generalization - in the three jurisdictions I've worked in, they're round if they're newer than ~1990, and mix of round and square (or two triangles that go together to make a square) if they're older than that. The frame and cover are replaced independently from the MH structure itself so the cover doesn't tell you anything about the makeup of the structure.
- jimnotgym 4y ago
  Not quite true. The cover itself has to be supported by a structure. The frame itself is insufficient. If you put a round cover on a square hole it would cave in if a truck ran over it.
  - SECProto 4y ago
    Catch basins in my jurisdiction have round covers on a square structure. The cast iron frame is square with a circular hole in the top. Edit: for example https://maps.app.goo.gl/m8rR4vrPHBPTyXxo9 https://maps.app.goo.gl/m8rR4vrPHBPTyXxo9
tomhoward 4y ago
> Your note about them not falling in makes me wonder if Google had a different answer? It's the kind of question that's asked in interviews because it has several answers and a good candidate should be able to think it through and suggest a reasonable number of them and demonstrate their ability to creatively think through a problem. That round covers can't fall in seems one of the simplest and most important, given that a cover that falls in could kill or seriously injure a worker. https://www.livescience.com/32441-why-are-manhole-covers-round.html https://www.livescience.com/32441-why-are-manhole-covers-rou...