A hard pavement construction method for natural groundwater recharge, comprising the following steps: drilling to an underground shallow sand zone water storage layer on a flattened earth floor, filling holes with sand, inserting rod-shaped tools into the holes filled with the sand, pouring concrete to form a concrete foundation layer with a flat surface, removing the rod-shaped tools, filling the holes with the sand to be flush with a plane of the concrete foundation layer, sanding and compacting on the concrete foundation layer, directly arranging pavement bricks on a sand surface in an unbonded manner to form a hard pavement, and enabling rain and snow water on the hard pavement to pass through cracks of the pavement bricks, rapidly and naturally recharge to the underground shallow sand zone water storage layer via the holes and slowly permeate to an underground deep sand zone water storage layer.

A module for use in constructing a pathway for traffic comprises a base member that defines a lateral groove disposed at its perimeter edge and extending along a first end, and a tongue structure disposed at its perimeter edge and extending along a second end. The tongue structure is received in the lateral groove and comprises a plurality of tongue portions that includes a first type of tongue portion and a second type of tongue portion disposed in alternating relation along the length of the tongue structure, to thereby define a throughpassage for receiving a securing rod. The first and second tongue portions have no vertical overlap one with the other. To form a pathway for traffic, the modules are placed in perimeter-edge to perimeter-edge relation, with the tongue structure of the modules inserted into the lateral groove of an adjacent module, and are secured together by the securing rod.

A module for use in constructing a pathway for traffic comprises a base member and a top plate is securable to the base member and having a plurality of horizontally spaced upwardly projecting button structures, including solid button structures and fastener-receiving button structures. The solid button structures are each integrally formed with the top plate. The fastener-receiving button structures each comprise an upwardly projecting peripheral portion and a depressed central portion. The fastener-receiving apertures are disposed one within each of the depressed central portion and are each surrounded by the upwardly projecting peripheral portion. A cap member is securable within the depressed central portion of each fastener-receiving button structure. To form a pathway for traffic, the modules are placed in perimeter-edge to perimeter-edge relation, and each top plate is secured to the base member by fasteners extending through the fastener-receiving apertures and securely engaged in the base member.

A customizable playing field includes a turf system comprising a tile with a turf layer. The tile overlays a subfloor, defining a reservoir thereunder. A forced air system includes a pipe disposed within the reservoir and operatively coupled to a pump; and a sensor. A control system controls the pump, and includes a processor in data communication with at least one input/output device and computer memory. The computer memory has a program with machine readable instructions that, when effected by the processor, perform the following steps: if the temperature is above a predetermined threshold as measured by the sensor, forcing a cool fluid through the pipe; and if the temperature is below a predetermined threshold as measured by the sensor, forcing a warm fluid through the pipe.

A permeable surface covering unit comprises a top surface and at least two pairs of irregularly shaped mating sides, one or more passageways extending downwardly from the top surface, and at least one under channel connected to the passageways for retaining liquid, such as storm water. The sides of the unit preferably define an irregular rotational tessellation element. The passageways may comprise gaps or side cavities between units and/or core cavities or other passageways within the unit. Optional undercuts may be provided in the core cavities. Pervious material plugs are cast into the cavities extending into the channel or undercut. Thereby the plug is locked into the cavity like a rivet and resists being dislodged by mechanical or hydraulic forces. A permeable surface embodiment comprises a combination of pervious and impervious units, wherein the ratio of permeable to impermeable units and resulting surface absorption rate may be adjusted.

A heatable module for use in constructing a pathway for traffic comprises a base member having a perimeter edge. A top plate is securable to the base member in overlying relation to the top surface of the base member. An electrically powerable heater member retained by at least one of the base member and the top plate. To form a heatable pathway for traffic, the modules are placed in perimeter-edge-to-perimeter-edge relation one to the next.

The present invention is directed to a paver edge restraint system for reducing shifting of a paver units making up a paved surface having one or more edge restraints installed along at least a portion of the periphery of the paved surface. The paver edge restraint system includes at least one peripheral edging member, at least one edging securement member for holding the at least one peripheral edging member to the ground, at least one paver retention strap that extends underneath a plurality of paver units constituting a portion of the paved surface, and at least one clamping unit mounted on the at least one peripheral edging member for securing and tightening the at least one strap to maintain the joint integrity of the plurality of paver units installed above and adjacent to the at least one strap.

An impact-absorbing assembly includes a covering layer being one or more of artificial turf, rubber mats, polymer mats, short pile carpeting, particulate infill, wood chips, and ground rubber chips. Also included is a layer of underlayment panels positioned beneath the covering layer. The panels have a panel section with a plurality of drain holes formed therethrough. A top surface of the panels is configured to support the covering layer. A bottom surface of the panels has a plurality of bottom projections that cooperate to define bottom channels suitable to permit water flow across the bottom surface, the bottom channels being in fluid communication with the panel drain holes. The bottom projections define a first spring rate characteristic that is part of a first stage and a second spring rate characteristic is part of a second stage, the first stage having a smaller volume of material than the second stage.

A paving system for paving or flooring includes a top layer of a plurality of paving elements, and an underlayment support layer of a polymeric material configured into panels. The panels are suitable to support the paving elements, the panels having a generally planar support surface.

A timber access mat having an electrical grounding feature includes an electrically conductive cover layer that is removably carried over the top of the body of the timber access mat. The electrically conductive cover layer can be formed from one or more sheets of expanded metal such as expanded steel. The layer is joined to a perimeter frame that includes offset connector tabs that allow mats to be positioned side-by-side. The connector tabs are paired with cable guides to protect the cable leads that connect the mats. The perimeter frame and conductive cover layer can be added to traditional timber access mats when electrical grounding is required and then removed and stored when not required.