Road structure – process – or apparatus – Pavement – Modules or blocks
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-12
2004-02-10
Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3671)
Road structure, process, or apparatus
Pavement
Modules or blocks
C404S034000, C404S036000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06688808
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a prefabricated cement concrete slab for road pavement, and more particularly, to a prefabricated cement concrete slab by which road pavement and repair and maintenance can be rapidly and easily performed, thereby ensuring improved constructability, durability and cost-effectiveness.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, asphalt concrete type road pavement (to be referred to as ‘asphalt pavement’) and cement concrete type road pavement (to be referred to as ‘cement pavement’) have been typically used.
In particular, asphalt pavement mainly used for road pavement has unavoidable problems such as rutting, shoving, fatigue crack or low-temperature crack, according to climate conditions, vehicular running conditions, e.g., vehicular traffic or heavy vehicle passing ratio, or characteristics of pavement materials. During the period of repair and maintenance required in the event of occurrence of such problems, there is a need of restricting vehicles running on the roadway or vehicles must be run on detours, causing traffic congestion or a rise in logistic costs. In particular, a rise in the temperature of a pavement surface in the summer season may cause deformation to a pavement material, e.g., rutting, resulting in a spoiled appearance of the pavement material, inconvenience in the vehicular traffic or water gathering. The deformed pavement material rapidly gives rise to damages to paved roadway, thereby increasing the repair cost. In actuality, repair and maintenance works of road pavement are being performed nationwide almost every year.
To overcome the above-described problems with asphalt pavement, cement pavement is widely being used, as is known well. The asphalt pavement is cost effective in that it is less deformed or damaged, consuming less repair and maintenance costs. However, the asphalt pavement still has disadvantages including technical difficulty, curing period, long-term traffic regulation during the curing period for repair and maintenance and so on.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the above-described problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a prefabricated cement concrete slab for road pavement, which has improved constructability for cement pavement and enhanced durability, by allowing prefabricated cement concrete slab units, which are manufactured at a concrete plant and then transported to the construction site to be assembled.
To accomplish the above object of the present invention, there is provided a prefabricated cement concrete slab for road pavement, in a roadway treated with a previous compaction work, including rectangular cement concrete slab units prefabricated into a transportable size adapted to the width of a lane, and configured for road pavement by horizontally arranging neighboring slab units along a roadbed, lifting means providing latching holes integrally formed in the respective slab units for transporting the slab units, connecting means positioned on a roadbed facing joint portions of the neighboring slab units for fixedly connecting the slab units without being moved, and a tube mounted inside a cylindrical structure formed by hemispherical grooves formed at one-side lateral surfaces of the neighboring slab units horizontally connected by the connecting means, and having a valve for filling air or a watertight filler for providing watertightness to the slab units.
Preferably, each of the lifting means includes a support plate having a predetermined area and horizontally buried into the slab unit, a support tube integrally welded to the support plate and buried into the slab unit to form an accommodating groove opened outward through an opening, the accommodating groove having an openable cap threaded thereto, and a latching device having a latching hole inside the accommodating groove firmly welded on the support plate and the latching device being exposed outward through the opening when the cap is opened.
Also, each of the lifting means may include a support plate having a predetermined area and horizontally buried into the slab unit, a support tube integrally welded to the support plate and buried into the slab unit to form an accommodating groove opened outward through an opening, the accommodating groove having an openable cap threaded thereto, and a latching device having a latching hole inside the accommodating groove separably threaded to a thread rod firmly welded on the support plate and the latching device being exposed outward through the opening when the cap is opened.
Alternatively, each of the lifting means may include a support plate having a predetermined area and horizontally buried into the slab unit, a support tube integrally welded to the support plate and buried into the slab unit to form an accommodating groove opened outward through an opening, the accommodating groove having an openable cap threaded thereto, and a latching device having a latching hole having a recessed groove formed on the top surface of the cap to have a predetermined area and pivotally supported to the inner wall of the recessed groove to lie down inside the recessed groove.
Preferably, the concrete slab further includes a hole for opening/closing on the top surface of the cap.
Also, each of the connecting means preferably includes an accommodating groove formed on a base facing a portion adjacent to the slab units, a rectangular connection plate coplanarly accommodated in an accommodating groove and having insertion pins protruding thereon, and an insertion equipment installed at a portion facing the connection plate of the slab unit and having insertion holes into which the insertion pins are inserted.
Preferably, a wall for providing watertightness is further provided between the slab units in a straight-line form or cross form.
Alternatively, the concrete slab may further include a bar-shaped reinforcement member further installed along the outer periphery of the insertion equipment.
The connection means preferably includes an accommodating groove formed on the bottom portions of the neighboring slab units, a recessed member formed in the accommodating groove, a rectangular base panel coplanarly accommodated in the accommodating groove, and a projecting member integrally extending from both sides of the base panel.
Preferably, the valve includes an orifice formed on the tube, and a shield plate installed around the orifice, for opening/closing the orifice.
Also, the concrete slab may further include a filler for providing watertightness between connection surfaces of each of the respective slab units.
Preferably, a space for installing manhole covers for water supply or sewage systems is further provided in each slab unit.
According to the road pavement of the present invention, constructability can be improved and durability can be enhanced.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2251672 (1941-08-01), Friberg
patent: 3272269 (1966-09-01), Murphy
patent: 4324504 (1982-04-01), Cottingham et al.
patent: 4376596 (1983-03-01), Green
patent: 4453283 (1984-06-01), Fitzgerald-Smith et al.
patent: 4470719 (1984-09-01), Dziark et al.
patent: 5513927 (1996-05-01), Baker et al.
patent: 5685666 (1997-11-01), Marshall et al.
patent: 5971655 (1999-10-01), Shirakawa
Addie Raymond W
Dickinson Wright PLLC
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