The invention relates to a structure for the reinforcement of pavements. The structure is provided at predetermined positions with interruptions or with weakened zones. The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such a structure and to a method of breaking up a pavement reinforced with such a structure.

The invention relates to road surface matting. It is known to overlay the ground with mats to make a better surface for vehicles to drive on. Known road matting includes beams arranged in parallel, each within its own pocket in a fabric mat. However, inordinate reliance on fabric makes matting vulnerable to wear and tear. The invention aims to go at least some way toward addressing this problem by providing matting having a first mat, a second mat, and a means for pivoting comprising at least two ball joints, each joint comprising a ball adapted to pivot within a housing of the joint. Each mat has a series of substantially parallel beams connected to one another, and the first and second mats are each connected to a respective one of the balls so that each mat is able to pivot with the respective ball.

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.

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 form for forming a modular pavement slab with long and short cavities alternatingly formed around its periphery includes a header and a plurality of short and long forming tools. The header includes an inner vertical surface that defines a portion of the periphery of the modular pavement slab. The short forming tool includes an elongate body defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end positioned against the inner vertical surface of the header. The elongate body has a longitudinal bore therethrough and a riser bore defining an axis that is noncollinear to the longitudinal axis. A riser is releasably coupled to the riser bore. The long forming tool is substantially similar to the short forming tool. The elongate body, however, is longer than the short forming tool and includes two riser bores. A riser is releasably coupled to each respective riser bore.

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.

The invention provides a pavement (11) formed by an assembly of concrete slabs (13) of thickness H, each slabs (13) comprising a plurality of superficial grooves (15, 17) of height H3, delimiting sub-slabs (21) and, as reinforcement, an assembly of tie bars (25, 27; 26, 28) for tying adjacent sub-slabs (21) on either sides of said superficial grooves (15, 17), the bars being disposed below the sub-slabs at a distance H2.

Systems and methods for a permeable pavement system are described. The permeable pavement system includes blocks designed to facilitate water seepage between the blocks and to permit water storage within the blocks. The blocks may be cabled together to create paving units that facilitate installation and maintenance of the pavement system. The permeable pavement system may also be heated to a predetermined range with either electrical energy or hydronic heating.

An interlockable industrial mat having a plurality of elongated members some of which are arranged in staggered orientation to form protrusions and corresponding recesses on opposite ends of the mat. The elongated members are held together by a plurality of joining; members. To facilitate interlocking of one mat with another similarly configured mat, each protrusion includes a first hole that is in alignment with a first bore for receiving a connecting rod, and each end of the non-staggered members is provided with a second hole that is in alignment with a second bore for receiving another same size rod. The first and second bores are in alignment such that when the protrusions of one mat are received in the recesses of another mat, a connecting rod can be passed through each bore to interlock the mats together. Multiple mats can be interlocked that way to form temporary support structures.

Concrete based reinforced road structure covered by asphalt that comprises a basic layer (1) made of concrete with a substantially horizontal upper surface and placed directly or through a subconstruction on the ground and at least one mould cover layer (2) thereon made of asphalt, and support elements (3) positioned between the basic layer (1) and the cover layer (2), wherein the support elements (3) are inserted in a predetermined depth in the basic layer (1) prior to the setting thereof so that they are partially projecting out of the basic layer (1) in normal direction to the upper surface, and the projecting portion provides protection to the cover layer (2) against being displaced relative to the basic layer (1) under loads to which the road is exposed, and the support elements (3) are flat stripes with walls being substantially normal to the surface of the basic layer (1) and comprising subsequent sections with differing directions to form respective meandering lines.