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US 4,991,248 AGranted
Load bearing concrete panel reconstruction
AssigneeAllen Research & Development Corp.
InventorJohn H. Allen
Life of this patent
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AssigneeAllen Research & Development Corp.
InventorJohn H. Allen
Estimating the term…
Prior art supported, load bearing concrete panels having flexural reinforcing materials within the top and bottom halves, are over-designed, and experience increased deterioration and increased severity of cracks in the top surface due to flexural reinforcing materials which are located within the tip half of the panel. It is now taught that existing deteriorated concrete panels can be reconstructed by removing the upper concrete containing the upper layer of flexural reinforcing means for carrying bending moment tension stressed in the top half of panels (12), over interior supports (14), while maintaining such flexural reinforcing means (20) confined to the lower half of the panel, has sufficient flexural strength of the panel (12) to support expected loads. Such panels (12), will exhibit improved durability and reduced tip surface (16) cracking. Preferred techniques for controlling top half cracking from temperature and shrinkage of the panel are set forth.
A process for rehabilitating an existing concrete deck panel used as decking material in a bridge structure, said concrete deck panel being, at the time of rehabilitation, comprised of at least a deteriorated upper portion and a substantially undeteriorated concrete lower portion, each said concrete portion having a length dimension, a width dimension, having an upper surface which will come into contact with or be closely adjacent to loads which traverse the panel, said upper portion of concrete being substantially free of flexural reinforcement materials.
A method of refurbishing a deteriorated concrete panel having an upper half having an upper surface which will come into contact with or be closely adjacent to loads which traverse said panel, and a lower half having a lower surface which is spaced from loads which traverse said upper half of said panel, said concrete panel initially having flexural reinforcement means distributed throughout its structure, wherein the method includes the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.