# US 9,469,944 B2 · Method and composition for reinforcing asphalt cement concrete > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,469,944 B2 - Document ID: US9469944B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/031,002 - Filed: 2013-09-18 - Published: 2015-03-19 - Granted: 2016-10-18 - Earliest claimed: 2013-09-18 - Assignees: Surface Tech LLC - Applicants: Tracy H. Lang; Joseph A. Sturtevant - Inventors: Tracy H. Lang; Joseph A. Sturtevant - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9469944B2 ## CPC - E01C 11/165: {particularly for bituminous or rubber- or plastic-bound pavings (bituminated textile webs E01C5/12)} - C04B 16/0691: {Polyamides; Polyaramides} - C04B 16/12: characterised by the shape (fibrous macromolecular compounds C04B16/06; porous macromolecular compounds C04B16/08 ){, e.g. perforated strips} - C04B 26/26: Bituminous materials, e.g. tar, pitch {(C08L95/00 takes precedence)} - C08L 95/00: Compositions of bituminous materials, e.g. asphalt, tar, pitch - D02G 3/02: Yarns or threads characterised by the material or by the materials from which they are made - E01C 7/18: of road-metal and bituminous binders {(for surface treatments except for penetration coverings, or for thin surface layers E01C7/353; bituminous mixtures C08L95/00)} - C04B 2111/0075: {for road construction} - C08L 2555/52: Aggregate, e.g. crushed stone, sand, gravel or cement - C08L 2555/86: Polymers containing aliphatic hydrocarbons only, e.g. polyethylene, polypropylene or ethylene-propylene-diene copolymers - E01C: CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR (forming roads or like surfaces by compacting or grading snow or ice E01H) - C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE - C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06) - D02G: CRIMPING OR CURLING FIBRES, FILAMENTS, THREADS, OR YARNS; YARNS OR THREADS ## Abstract Reinforcing fibers, such as aromatic polyamide (“aramid”) fibers, are treated by coating with or embedding in a binder such as a Fischer-Tropsch wax. The treated fibers are divided into suitably-sized units, which are added to bitumen, aggregate and other ingredients in an asphalt cement concrete mix. The units shed fibers into the mix during the manufacturing process so that the fibers are distributed fairly evenly throughout the asphalt mixture. The binder may also impart beneficial qualities to the finished asphalt concrete. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of producing reinforced asphalt pavement, comprising: treating a plurality of roughly parallel reinforcing fibers with a binding agent to produce a treated reinforcing fiber bundle; severing the treated reinforcing fiber bundle to produce a plurality of treated reinforcing fiber bundle segments, the fibers of each segment being roughly parallel with each other and a length of each treated reinforcing fiber bundle segment between about 8 mm and about 100 mm; introducing the treated reinforcing fiber bundle segments into an asphalt cement concrete mixture; depositing the asphalt cement concrete mixture onto a surface; and compacting the asphalt cement concrete mixture to form a reinforced asphalt pavement. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein treating the plurality of reinforcing fibers comprises coating the plurality of reinforcing fibers with the binding agent. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein treating the plurality of reinforcing fibers comprises passing the plurality of reinforcing fibers through a melted binding agent and allowing the melted binding agent to solidify. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein treating the plurality of reinforcing fibers comprises embedding the plurality of reinforcing fibers in the binding agent. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: combining a plurality of treated reinforcing fiber bundles to create a treated reinforcing fiber rope. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the severing operation creates treated reinforcing fiber bundle segments having a length of about 20 mm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein a length of the treated reinforcing fiber bundle segments is controlled by feedback based on characteristics of previously-mixed asphalt cement concrete. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the severing operation creates treated reinforcing fiber bundle segments having between about 250 reinforcing fibers and about 15,000 reinforcing fibers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: churning the asphalt cement concrete mixture containing the treated reinforcing fiber bundle segments to distribute reinforcing fibers shed from the reinforcing fiber bundle segments throughout the asphalt cement concrete mixture. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the reinforcing fibers are aramid fibers. ### Claim 11 A method of producing reinforced asphalt cement concrete, comprising: treating a continuous length of multifilament aramid fiber yarn with a wax binder produce a continuous length of treated multifilament aramid fiber yarn; severing the continuous length of treated multifilament aramid fiber yarn to produce treated yarn segments of a roughly uniform length between about 8 mm and about 100 mm; metering the treated yarn segments into a warm asphalt cement concrete mixture during mixing thereof; and paving a surface with the asphalt cement concrete mixture. ### Claim 12 A method of manufacturing improved asphalt cement concrete mix, comprising: treating an aramid fiber yarn longer than 100 mm with a wax binder; severing the treated aramid fiber yarn into a plurality of treated fiber segments of about 20 mm in length; heating and mixing aggregate particles with a viscous petroleum binder agent to create an asphalt cement concrete mixture; and introducing the treated fiber segments into the asphalt cement concrete mixture. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the introducing operation occurs during the heating and mixing operation. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the introducing operation comprises transporting treated fiber segments from a bulk store thereof into the asphalt concrete mixture via at least one of: a screw-auger conveyor system; a vibratory feeder system; a gravity feeding system; a positive-pressure pneumatic system; or a negative-pressure vacuum system.