US 5,035,532 A · Method and apparatus for constructing an articulated pavement system

Abstract

A modular construction system that provides structures utilizable in the manufacture of bases for pavements, pavements, slopes, canals, walls, arches, and bridges. A flexible structure is obtained formed by the articulated and indissoluble union of a multiplicity of identical modular units that have articulated, unbreakable joints, although there are free spaces between the units, in such a way that when a weight is placed in any area of the flexible structure, a part of the load is immediately distributed to the adjacent areas, the structure thus resulting in a stress distribution system, being flexible, articulated, and indissoluble. The distribution of stresses occurs both in the horizontal and the vertical direction. Two or more structures can even be placed one on top of the other, duly articulated between each other, with a separating layer between each one of them, by means of latch pins such as to allow the structure to be flexible, functioning in a manner similar to how a single structure functions.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A constructive system comprising a multiplicity of rigid identical modular units to form a one layer simple structure having clearance joints, allowing the partial transmission, in both horizontal and vertical directions, of loads applied on one or more said units to adjacent units, said system further comprising said identical modular units each having flat, continuous, horizontal upper and lower faces and smooth outer sides, said sides further provided with interlocking lobes and lob e receiving spaces, said modular units interlockable by placing a lobe of one of said units in one lobe receiving space of another adjacent unit, said interlocked structure providing said clearance joints among each of said interlocked units and said adjacent ones whereby a movement of said units is obtained when loads are applied to them, said movement allowing only said partial transmission of the stress among said units without affecting said interlocking of said units of said structure.

A constructive system comprising:

a multiplicity of rigid identical modular units to form a one-layer interlocked structure having latch pins and clearance joints, said joints being provided to allow the partial transmission of the loads applied on one unit to the adjacent units, said identical modular units having interlocking lobes and lobe receiving spaces along the outer edges of said units, said units interlockable by placing a first lobe of one unit in a first lobe receiving space of an adjacent unit;
said interlocked structure providing said clearance joints among each of said interlocked units and said adjacent ones whereby a movement of said units is obtained when said loads are applied to them, said movement allowing only said partial transmission of the stress among said units without affecting said interlocking of said units of said interlocked structure, each said modular unit having continuous flat horizontal upper and lower faces and notches and recesses in some of said sides of said modular units to form, respectively, shared filling holes and cavities among said adjacent units in which said latch pins are respectively formed by injecting fluid cement in said shared spaces to achieve vertical interlocking of said units in said structure.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for constructing an articulated pavement system

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for constructing an articulated pavement system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8