Asphalt cement concrete interlayer system for reflective crack relief
AssigneeSurface Tech LLC
InventorsPhillip B. Blankenship, Joseph A. Dennis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An asphalt-cement concrete (“ACC”) interlayer formed of a plant-mix material reinforced with aramid fibers, deposited at a thickness of at least one inch (1″) over a Portland-cement concrete (“PCC”) or ACC base, can extend the service life of a hot-mix asphalt (“HMA”) surface layer installed over the interlayer by retarding or preventing “reflected” cracks—cracks in the surface layer that correspond to cracks, damage and irregularities in the PCC or ACC base. When the surface layer's useable life has expired, it can be removed and replaced, and the interlayer can continue to protect the new surface layer.
Claims10
A method for extending a service life of an asphalt cement concrete pavement comprising:
- installing an aramid-fiber fortified asphalt cement concrete (“ACC”) interlayer over a Portland cement concrete (“PCC”) base;
- installing an initial hot-mix asphalt (“HMA”) travel layer over the ACC interlayer;
- removing the initial HMA travel layer after a service life of the initial HMA travel layer has elapsed;
- and
- installing a replacement HMA travel layer over the ACC interlayer to produce a restored pavement.
A method for developing an Asphalt Cement Concrete (“ACC”) recipe suitable for use in a Reflective Crack Relief Interlayer (“RCRI”) using ingredients sourced locally to a repair location, comprising:
- specifying a target performance range for the ACC based on expected conditions and loads at a repair location;
- selecting an initial ACC recipe that is expected to satisfy the target performance range, said initial ACC recipe including an aramid-fiber reinforcing ingredient;
- manufacturing a test amount of ACC according to the initial ACC recipe, said manufacturing using locally-sourced ingredients and the aramid-fiber reinforcing ingredient;
- testing the test amount of ACC to determine whether the test amount of ACC satisfies the target performance range;
- if the test amount of ACC does not satisfy the target performance range, then replacing the initial ACC recipe with a different, altered ACC recipe and repeating the manufacturing and testing operations;
- if the test amount of ACC does satisfy the target performance range, then
- manufacturing a project amount of ACC according to either the initial ACC recipe or the different, altered ACC recipe;
- and
- constructing an RCRI using the project amount of ACC.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.