Restoration of concrete decks
OwnerDavid W. Whitmoreinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Restoration of a concrete roadway is effected by application onto the upper surface of the roadway of steel sheets which are used as an anode for electrolytic transfer of ions between the anode and the reinforcing bars of the concrete as cathode. The steel sheets are placed in effect directly on top of the concrete surface so as to communicate forces from the traffic to the concrete surface without the necessity for separate support of the sheets. An intervening layer may be formed of particulate material, a very thin felt or there may be no intervening layer. The sheets can be formed by two layers of steel with the upper layer embossed and the edges offset so as to define flanges allowing the sheets to be bolted together. A covering wear layer such as asphalt can be applied on top of the sheets.
Claims14
A method for restoration of an existing set concrete deck comprising:
- providing a generally horizontal load bearing concrete deck having a generally horizontal upper surface over which traffic can pass, the concrete deck having metallic reinforcing elements and the concrete therein being in a set condition;
- placing on the horizontal upper surface an electrically conductive anode;
- connecting an electrical current between the metallic reinforcing elements as a cathode and the electrically conductive anode so as to cause current to flow therebetween;
- providing an electrolyte between the anode and the upper surface so that the current causes movement of ions between the anode and the cathode within the concrete;
- CHARACTERIZED IN THE STEPS OF:
- providing the electrically conductive anode so as to consist solely of a rigid sheet of a consumable steel material having an upper surface and a substantially planar lower surface which is placed onto the upper surface of the concrete deck with the electrolyte therebetween such that the ions are withdrawn from the concrete into the electrolyte;
- attaching the rigid sheet to the deck to prevent movement of the sheet relative to the deck;
- causing the traffic to pass over the upper surface of the sheet while the sheet is in place on the concrete deck such that forces from the traffic are communicated through the upper surface to the sheet;
- and locating the planar lower surface of the sheet relative to the upper surface of the concrete deck such that, substantially over the full area of the sheet, each point on the lower surface of the sheet receives direct support from a corresponding underlying point on the upper surface of the concrete deck and that forces applied to the upper surface of the sheet by the traffic are communicated directly from the lower surface of the sheet to the upper surface of the concrete deck through the corresponding points.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.