Methods and apparatus for repairing road surfaces mix aggregate and liquified crack sealer on demand into mastic material for direct delivery to the road surfaces. Aggregate flows from a tilted box of a dump truck into a hopper and is conveyed by an auger into a tubular horizontal chamber. Liquified crack sealer is deliverable from a tank to the road surface or into the tubular horizontal chamber where it is mixed with the aggregate by a device into mastic material which is pushed through a vertical opening for delivery directly to the road surfaces. The frame which supports the hopper, conveyor, tank, and tubular horizontal chamber is movably supported on the road surfaces and is hitched to the dump truck.

Portable asphalt reclaimer having a pivotable lid with an integral heating element, and an asphalt holding chamber containing a grate. Asphalt may be reclaimed by placing asphalt chunks on the grate, heating them from above using the heating element in the lid until asphalt falls through the holes in the grate. The asphalt may be removed through a lower door. The pivotable lid may be detachable to separately heat the ground surface to which asphalt is to be applied.

A roadway segment includes a body having a length along a direction of travel, a width along a width axis, and top and bottom halves along a depth axis. The segment also includes a strain sensor array with one or more optical fiber cables embedded in the bottom half of the body. The strain sensor array includes vehicle-strain sensors configured to detect strain on the body resulting from vehicles traveling across the top surface. The segment also includes a processor that operates the plurality of vehicle-strain sensors at a resolution of not greater than one picometer (1 pm). Any segments of the optical fiber cable(s) that intersect are separated from one another depth wise by at least two-tenths of an inch (0.2 in.). Each of the sensors is separated from each other along the width axis by at least two inches (2 in.).

A roadway segment includes a body having a length along a direction of travel, a width along a width axis, and top and bottom halves along a depth axis. The segment also includes a strain sensor array with one or more optical fiber cables embedded in the bottom half of the body. The strain sensor array includes vehicle-strain sensors configured to detect strain on the body resulting from vehicles traveling across the top surface. The segment also includes a processor that operates the plurality of vehicle-strain sensors at a resolution of not greater than one picometer (1 pm). Any segments of the optical fiber cable(s) that intersect are separated from one another depth wise by at least two-tenths of an inch (0.2 in.). Each of the sensors is separated from each other along the width axis by at least two inches (2 in.).

A method and apparatus for automatically repairing structure cracks. The method may include mixing a filler material with ferromagnetic dust to create a filler material mixture. The method may also include storing each filler material mixture in a filler material reservoir. The method may also include creating an array of magnetic coils in the structure, where the array of magnetic coils creates a magnetic path through the structure. The apparatus may include a structure. The structure may include a plurality of filler material reservoirs, wherein each filler material reservoir stores a filler material mixture. The structure may also include an array of magnetic coils inside the structure.

The present invention provides a bidirectional energy-transfer system comprising: a thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete, disposed in a structural object; a location of energy supply or demand that is physically isolated from, but in thermodynamic and/or electromagnetic communication with, the thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete; and a means of transferring energy between the structural object and the location of energy supply or demand. The system can be a single node in a neural network. The thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete includes a conductive, shock-absorbing material, such as graphite. Preferred compositions are disclosed for the thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete. The bidirectional energy-transfer system may be present in a solar-energy collection system, a grade beam, an indoor radiant flooring system, a structural wall or ceiling, a bridge, a roadway, a driveway, a parking lot, a commercial aviation runway, a military runway, a grain silo, or pavers, for example.

The present invention provides a bidirectional energy-transfer system comprising: a thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete, disposed in a structural object; a location of energy supply or demand that is physically isolated from, but in thermodynamic and/or electromagnetic communication with, the thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete; and a means of transferring energy between the structural object and the location of energy supply or demand. The system can be a single node in a neural network. The thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete includes a conductive, shock-absorbing material, such as graphite. Preferred compositions are disclosed for the thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete. The bidirectional energy-transfer system may be present in a solar-energy collection system, a grade beam, an indoor radiant flooring system, a structural wall or ceiling, a bridge, a roadway, a driveway, a parking lot, a commercial aviation runway, a military runway, a grain silo, or pavers, for example.

An apparatus for heating asphalt is used with a container storing a gaseous fuel under pressure. The apparatus includes one or more heaters, each of which includes an elongate infrared emitter, an elongate burner tube, and a Venturi tube. The infrared emitter includes an elongate emitter surface for emitting infrared radiation at the material when the infrared emitter is heated. The burner tube is coupled to the infrared emitter, and defines a burner tube interior for distributing an air-fuel mixture to a plurality of burner tube apertures for distributing the air-fuel mixture over a burner tube outer surface disposed opposite to and spaced apart from the infrared emitter. The Venturi tube is for mixing the fuel from the container with air to create the air-fuel mixture, and supplying the air-fuel mixture to the burner tube interior.

A method for repairing/treating a pavement with the use of a rheologically modifier is disclosed. The method comprises first applying a layer of a rheologically modifier composition comprising a rejuvenating component onto the top surface of the pavement that needs repair, then applying a second layer of an asphaltic binder onto the rheologically modifier layer. The second layer of asphaltic binder effectively seals the rheologically modifier layer with the rejuvenating component for intimate contact with the top pavement surface, thus penetrating the surface layer to extend the life of the pavement surface, arresting the deterioration of visco-elastic properties and restoring some of those properties.

A system and method for filling pot holes. The system includes transferring aggregate from an aggregate tank. Activator is likewise transferred from an activator tank. The activator is mixed with the aggregate to form a homogenized mixture. A liquid is introduced into a homogenized mixture to form a slurry and then a pot hole filler. The pot hole filler is directed through an exit end of a mixing tube.