An inventory of industrial mats having different core or internal constructions that are not visible because of the inclusion of side, end, upper and lower components which hide the core or internal construction from view, wherein each mat has an electronic device that indicates what is present in the hidden core or internal construction of the mat, with the electronic device including a processor, storage, and wireless communications circuitry that is configured to transmit identification, location, usage or physical property information of the mats over a wireless telecommunications network. Also, a method for providing an identification of mat properties or usage for an inventory of mats by viewing the information stored on the electronic device or by retrieving over a wireless telecommunications network identification, location, usage or physical property information of the mats from the storage of the electronic device.

A hybrid crane/rig mat that has outer side members of first and second side beams or boards of engineered lumber, oak or other hardwoods, or bumper members of solid or filled or unfilled hollow plastic members; a core structure of a metal or thermosetting plastic frame that includes side and end members and that contains therein a plurality of longitudinal members made of wood, engineered lumber, or of plastic or elastomeric materials; and a plurality of joining rods that pass through the outer side members, the core structure and longitudinal members to attach the outer side members to the core structure. The first end of the mat includes a male member and the second end of the mat includes a female member so that a first end of one mat can be releasably interlocked with a second end of a similarly configured and adjacently positioned additional mat.

A movable mat is formed from a plurality of elongate beams arranged in side-by-side relationship. The mat features a recessed area formed from a pair of adjacent notched beams. An elongate connector passes through both of the adjacent notched beams at the recessed area. A portion of the connector within the notch is surrounded by a rigid sleeve. At least one pocket is formed in an upper surface of one of the beams. A rotatable coupler is situated within the pocket. The mat may be moved by attaching lifting equipment to the connector at one of the recesses or to the coupler. To form a flooring system, a plurality of mats may be arranged adjacent each other on a surface of the ground.

A method for making a reinforced concrete structure and reinforcement agents are provided. In some embodiments, the method includes obtaining a mold for the reinforced concrete structure. A lattice is formed within the mold, where the lattice includes inter-locking ringed fibers and where each inter-locking ringed fiber is a fiber formed into a ringed structure that is inter-locked with at least one neighboring inter-locking ringed fiber in the lattice. The lattice is then encased by filling the mold with concrete. In some embodiments, the reinforcement agents are a plurality of ringed fiber-structures, each of which is coiled into a ringed structure that may or may not inter-lock with at least one neighboring ringed fiber(s)-structure.

A prefabricated paving slab includes specialized combinations of substantially vertical passages and cavities to enable drop in installation. The paving slab may include retractable coupling rods aligned using spacers having seating surfaces and alignment surfaces. Cavities of the paving slab, each configured for receiving a coupling rod, preferably are arranged in orientation(s) and pattern(s) selected for receiving and transferring the stresses of loads travelling in a pre-determined direction.

A prefabricated paving slab includes specialized combinations of substantially vertical passages and cavities to enable drop in installation. The paving slab may include retractable coupling rods aligned using spacers having seating surfaces and alignment surfaces. Cavities of the paving slab, each configured for receiving a coupling rod, preferably are arranged in orientation(s) and pattern(s) selected for receiving and transferring the stresses of loads travelling in a pre-determined direction.

A method for making a reinforced concrete structure and reinforcement agents are provided. In some embodiments, the method includes obtaining a mold for the reinforced concrete structure. A lattice is formed within the mold, where the lattice includes inter-locking ringed fibers and where each inter-locking ringed fiber is a fiber formed into a ringed structure that is inter-locked with at least one neighboring inter-locking ringed fiber in the lattice. The lattice is then encased by filling the mold with concrete. In some embodiments, the reinforcement agents are a plurality of ringed fiber-structures, each of which is coiled into a ringed structure that may or may not inter-lock with at least one neighboring ringed fiber(s)-structure.

A movable mat is formed from a plurality of elongate beams arranged in side-by-side relationship. The mat features a recessed area formed from a pair of adjacent notched beams. An elongate connector passes through both of the adjacent notched beams at the recessed area. A portion of the connector within the notch is surrounded by a rigid sleeve. At least one pocket is formed in an upper surface of one of the beams. A rotatable coupler is situated within the pocket. The mat may be moved by attaching lifting equipment to the connector at one of the recesses or to the coupler. To form a flooring system, a plurality of mats may be arranged adjacent each other on a surface of the ground.

A paving system that uses a number of individual pavers with defined void spaces between the pavers. Each paver is made entirely out of natural wood, such as Black Locust wood. A matrix, such as a wire mesh, may be used to maintain the void spaces before and during installation. The void spaces may be filled with gravel or another permeable material. The pavers may have the form of tiles, such as cubic tiles, and may be positioned in some cases with their grain oriented vertically.

A concrete mat apparatus, including a plurality of elongated concrete members, each member being aligned with and next to another concrete member. Each of the concrete members has an upper generally flat surface, a lower generally flat surface, and a plurality of inclined surfaces that each extend away from an upper or lower surface. Reinforcement extends from a first end portion of each concrete member to a second end portion thereof, the reinforcement including a plurality of longitudinally extending reinforcement bars and a plurality of encircling tie bars at spaced apart intervals. Cabling connects each of the elongated concrete members to another of the elongated concrete members. The combination of elongated concrete members has a width and a length that is at least twice as long as the width. The upper inclined surfaces of one of the elongated concrete members forms a plane with the lower inclined surface of an adjacent elongated concrete member. A plurality of loops are provided along opposed edges of the mat, each loop formed by a portion of the cabling. The loops can be spaced between about one and three feet (30.5 and 91.4 cm) apart.