EP0426760A1 - Fluorescent road surfacing material. - Google Patents

Fluorescent road surfacing material.

Info

Publication number
EP0426760A1
EP0426760A1 EP89909635A EP89909635A EP0426760A1 EP 0426760 A1 EP0426760 A1 EP 0426760A1 EP 89909635 A EP89909635 A EP 89909635A EP 89909635 A EP89909635 A EP 89909635A EP 0426760 A1 EP0426760 A1 EP 0426760A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
road
mineral
surfacing material
fluorescent
additive material
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP89909635A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0426760B1 (en
Inventor
Lars A Bergkvist
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Ultralux AB
Original Assignee
Labino Patent AB
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Labino Patent AB filed Critical Labino Patent AB
Priority to AT89909635T priority Critical patent/ATE87681T1/en
Publication of EP0426760A1 publication Critical patent/EP0426760A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0426760B1 publication Critical patent/EP0426760B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01C—CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR
    • E01C7/00—Coherent pavings made in situ
    • E01C7/08—Coherent pavings made in situ made of road-metal and binders
    • E01C7/35—Toppings or surface dressings; Methods of mixing, impregnating, or spreading them
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01C—CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR
    • E01C7/00—Coherent pavings made in situ
    • E01C7/08—Coherent pavings made in situ made of road-metal and binders
    • E01C7/085—Aggregate or filler materials therefor; Coloured reflecting or luminescent additives therefor

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to road-surfacing material, and more particularly to a road-surface layer, so-called road-dressing, applied to asphalted road constructions.
  • a Danish material designated synopal has been admixed with the road-dressing material in an amount corresponding to 8% by weight.
  • the present invention relates to a road-surfacing material which will fulfill the desire for light-coloured road Burfaces.
  • the present invention thus relates to road surfacing material which is intended to be laid as a road-surface dressing on asphalted roads and which comprises a crushed rock-material, such as quartzite (SiO 2 ), and a binder, such as pitch, and which is characterised in that it further comprises an additive material which will fluoresce when illuminated with ultraviolet light, said additive material having been produced by bringing a mineral substance to a molten state and doping said mineral substance with a doping agent whose presence will cause the mineral concerned to fluoresce, and which has been crushed and/or granulated to particle size which corresponds to the size of the quartzite particles.
  • a crushed rock-material such as quartzite (SiO 2 )
  • a binder such as pitch
  • the inventive road-surfacing material comprises a conventional road Burface-dressing which has admixed therewith an additive material which will fluoresce when illuminated with ultraviolet light, said additive material being mixed with said road-dressing prior to applying the same.
  • a very large number of mineral ⁇ which will fluoresce when irradiated with ultraviolet light are known to the art.
  • the fluorescent effect of these minerals will vary in accordance with their place of origin, since the chemical composition of the minerals varies from place to place. Consequently, it is difficult, if not impossible, to locate a mineral mining or quarrying site from which the mineral extracted therefrom will have a considerable and fairly uniform fluorescent effect and which can be mined/quarried at reasonable, related costs.
  • Typical minerals possessing fluorescent properties are fluorspar (CaF 2 ), limespar (CaCO 3 ), Scheelit (CaWO 4 ), Willemit (Zn 2 (SiO 2 ) and Autunit
  • Limespar can be used to great advantage, since when manganese (Mn) is present, limespar will fluoresce with an orange light. Orange is namely a colour rich in contrast.
  • the fluorescent additive material is not an untreated mineral, but a mineral which has been treated to provide a fluorescent effect.
  • the treatment to which the mineral is subjected in accordance with the invention involves melting a mined or quarried mineral in a furnace of the kind used in the manufacture of mineral wool, i.e. a furnace of the electrosteel type. The molten material is then doped with a doping agent which will cause the mineral to fluoresce, by introducing said doping agent into the molten mineral-bath.
  • the melt may then be granulated or cast. Subsequent hereto, the solidified material is crushed to a particle Bize which corresponds to the particle size of the quartzite present in the road-surfacing material, i.e. a particle size of about 10-20 mm.
  • the additive material includes one of the minerals limespar or Scheelite doped with manganese or molybdenum respectively.
  • the amount in which the mineral shall be added in order to provide a fluorescent effect will depend on the mineral concerned and also on the strength of fluorescence desired.
  • the proportions in which the additive material is admixed with the road-surface material are also significant. A larger proportion will naturally result in a greater fluorescent effect.
  • the additive material is present in the road-surfacing material in an amount which corresponds to 2-25% by weight, preferably about 10-15% by weight.
  • the present invention is not limited to any particular mineral or doping agent. Those minerals which will fluoresce are well known, and the concentrations in which the fluorescent substance is contained in such minerals in order to achieve fluorescence is also known. Consequently, the skilled person is able to acquire this knowledge and is also capable of varying the proportion of the doping agent in the material, and also to vary the proportion in which the invented additive material is present in a road surface, so as to achieve the intended fluorescent effect.
  • the present invention thus provides an additive material which, distinct from natural fluorescent materials, will produce a relatively smooth and uniform fluorescent effect.
  • a fluorescent road-surface will greatly enhance road safety. It is namely found that a fluorescent road-surface will also provide improved road-vision and improved ability to discern objects on the road, even under daylight conditions.
  • the natural light includes a large amount of ultraviolet light, which means that the light conditions of the inventive road-surface will be a considerable improvement on the light conditions afforded by a conventional road-dressing.
  • the invention includes the concept of fitting automotive vehicles with lamps which emit a large proportion of ultraviolet light.
  • lamps which emit white light together with a significant proportion of ultraviolet light can be used in conventional vehicle headlamps.
  • the optical effect thus achieved is highly pronounced .
  • the road surface will appear to glow in the dark, and objects present on the road will stand-out against the road surface, thereby enabling the objects to be discerned easily from a long way off.
  • a mineral such as limespar for instance
  • the resultant road-surface will obtain a wear-resistance which corresponds in all essentials to the wear-resistance of a conventional road surface.
  • the invention thus fulfills the aforesaid objects.
  • the invention is not limited to any particular additive material, and the choice of a suitable mineral for the purposes intended is therefore left to the person skilled in this art.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Road Paving Structures (AREA)
  • Radiation-Therapy Devices (AREA)
  • Compositions Of Macromolecular Compounds (AREA)

Abstract

Le matériau de revêtement routier décrit, qui est destiné à recouvrir des routes asphaltées, comprend des pierres concassées, par exemple en quartzite (SiO2), et un liant constitué par exemple par de la poix. La présente invention se caractérise en ce que le matériau de revêtement routier contient également un matériau additif, qui devient fluorescent lorsqu'il est exposé à un rayonnement ultraviolet et qui est produit par fusion d'un minéral et par enduisage du minéral avec une substance qui le rend fluorescent, le matériau additif étant en outre broyé et/ou concassé jusqu'à présenter une granulométrie qui correspond à la granulométrie du quartzite.The road surfacing material described, which is intended to cover asphalt roads, comprises crushed stones, for example quartzite (SiO2), and a binder consisting for example of pitch. The present invention is characterized in that the road surface material also contains an additive material, which becomes fluorescent when exposed to ultraviolet radiation and which is produced by fusion of a mineral and by coating the mineral with a substance which makes it fluorescent, the additive material being further ground and / or crushed until it has a particle size which corresponds to the particle size of the quartzite.

Description

Fluorescent ROAD SURFACING MATERIAL
The present invention relates to road-surfacing material, and more particularly to a road-surface layer, so-called road-dressing, applied to asphalted road constructions.
In Sweden, 8% of the road network is surfaced annually. Various attempts have been made to increase traffic safety over a large number of years, by admixing light-coloured stone fractions with road- surfacing material.
For instance, a Danish material designated synopal has been admixed with the road-dressing material in an amount corresponding to 8% by weight.
This provides a relatively light-coloured surface. However, because synopal was found to be less tolerant to wear from studied tyres, quartzite was used in the road-dressing instead. An ideal condition is one in which the road surface is light in colour and can be readily illuminated, so as to enable the road to be seen easily and also to enable objects on the road to be readily discerned. It is found, however, that light-coloured road-surfacing materials of the synopal kind do not brighten the road sufficiently when illuminated by conventional vehicle headlamps.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to a road-surfacing material which will fulfill the desire for light-coloured road Burfaces. The present invention thus relates to road surfacing material which is intended to be laid as a road-surface dressing on asphalted roads and which comprises a crushed rock-material, such as quartzite (SiO2), and a binder, such as pitch, and which is characterised in that it further comprises an additive material which will fluoresce when illuminated with ultraviolet light, said additive material having been produced by bringing a mineral substance to a molten state and doping said mineral substance with a doping agent whose presence will cause the mineral concerned to fluoresce, and which has been crushed and/or granulated to particle size which corresponds to the size of the quartzite particles. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to exemplifying embodiments thereof. The inventive road-surfacing material comprises a conventional road Burface-dressing which has admixed therewith an additive material which will fluoresce when illuminated with ultraviolet light, said additive material being mixed with said road-dressing prior to applying the same. A very large number of mineralβ which will fluoresce when irradiated with ultraviolet light are known to the art. The fluorescent effect of these minerals will vary in accordance with their place of origin, since the chemical composition of the minerals varies from place to place. Consequently, it is difficult, if not impossible, to locate a mineral mining or quarrying site from which the mineral extracted therefrom will have a considerable and fairly uniform fluorescent effect and which can be mined/quarried at reasonable, related costs.
Typical minerals possessing fluorescent properties are fluorspar (CaF2), limespar (CaCO3), Scheelit (CaWO4), Willemit (Zn2(SiO2) and Autunit
(Ca(UO2/PO4)2) · 10-12 H2O.
Fluorspar fluoresces with a blue light and is therefore lees suitable for use in the present context.
Willemite, Scheelite and Autunite fluoresce with a green-yellow light.
Scheelite, however, will fluoresce with a white light when the tungsten (W) is replaced with molybdenum (Mo).
Limespar can be used to great advantage, since when manganese (Mn) is present, limespar will fluoresce with an orange light. Orange is namely a colour rich in contrast. According to the present invention, the fluorescent additive material is not an untreated mineral, but a mineral which has been treated to provide a fluorescent effect. The treatment to which the mineral is subjected in accordance with the invention involves melting a mined or quarried mineral in a furnace of the kind used in the manufacture of mineral wool, i.e. a furnace of the electrosteel type. The molten material is then doped with a doping agent which will cause the mineral to fluoresce, by introducing said doping agent into the molten mineral-bath.
The melt may then be granulated or cast. Subsequent hereto, the solidified material is crushed to a particle Bize which corresponds to the particle size of the quartzite present in the road-surfacing material, i.e. a particle size of about 10-20 mm.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the additive material includes one of the minerals limespar or Scheelite doped with manganese or molybdenum respectively.
The amount in which the mineral shall be added in order to provide a fluorescent effect will depend on the mineral concerned and also on the strength of fluorescence desired.
The proportions in which the additive material is admixed with the road-surface material are also significant. A larger proportion will naturally result in a greater fluorescent effect. According to a preferred embodiment, the additive material is present in the road-surfacing material in an amount which corresponds to 2-25% by weight, preferably about 10-15% by weight.
Such mixing proportions will provide an adequate fluorescent effect while maintaining other properties of the road surface essentially unchanged.
The present invention is not limited to any particular mineral or doping agent. Those minerals which will fluoresce are well known, and the concentrations in which the fluorescent substance is contained in such minerals in order to achieve fluorescence is also known. Consequently, the skilled person is able to acquire this knowledge and is also capable of varying the proportion of the doping agent in the material, and also to vary the proportion in which the invented additive material is present in a road surface, so as to achieve the intended fluorescent effect.
Thus, in accordance with the invention, there is mined or quarried a selected, appropriate mineral which is cheapest with respect to the location of the processing plant. Naturally, the number of suitable minerals available will be restricted to minerals which have a good fluorescent effect subsequent to treatment and which can be mined or quarried at locations in which the mineral concerned is highly concentrated and present in large quantities.
The present invention thus provides an additive material which, distinct from natural fluorescent materials, will produce a relatively smooth and uniform fluorescent effect.
A fluorescent road-surface will greatly enhance road safety. It is namely found that a fluorescent road-surface will also provide improved road-vision and improved ability to discern objects on the road, even under daylight conditions.
At sunset and at dawn, the natural light includes a large amount of ultraviolet light, which means that the light conditions of the inventive road-surface will be a considerable improvement on the light conditions afforded by a conventional road-dressing.
The invention, however, includes the concept of fitting automotive vehicles with lamps which emit a large proportion of ultraviolet light.
Such lamps are already available, as are also lamps of special configuration.
Furthermore, lamps which emit white light together with a significant proportion of ultraviolet light, such as discharge lamps, can be used in conventional vehicle headlamps.
In dark conditions , the optical effect thus achieved is highly pronounced . The road surface will appear to glow in the dark, and objects present on the road will stand-out against the road surface, thereby enabling the objects to be discerned easily from a long way off. By admixing a mineral, such as limespar for instance, in a proportion of about 10-15%, the resultant road-surface will obtain a wear-resistance which corresponds in all essentials to the wear-resistance of a conventional road surface. The invention thus fulfills the aforesaid objects.
As before mentioned, the invention is not limited to any particular additive material, and the choice of a suitable mineral for the purposes intended is therefore left to the person skilled in this art.
Neither is the invention limited to the described exemplifying embodiments thereof, since modifications can be made within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. Road-surfacing material intended to form a surface layer on asphalted roads, said road-surfacing material comprising crushed rock-material, such as quartzite (SiO2) and a binder, such as tar, characterised in that the road-surfacing material also includes an additive material which will fluoresce when irradiated with ultraviolet light, and which has been produced by melting-down a mineral and doping said mineral with a. substance which will cause the mineral concerned to fluoresce, and by granulating and/or crushing the additive material to a particle size corresponding to the particle size of the quartzite.
2. A road-surfacing material according to Claim 1, characterised in that the additive material is present in the road-surfacing material in a proportion of 2-25% by weight, preferably 10-15% by weight.
3. A road-surfacing material according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said additive material includes one of the minerals from the group limespar (CaCO3) or Scheelite (CaWO4) doped with manganese (Mn) or molybdenum respectively.
EP89909635A 1988-08-26 1989-08-25 Fluorescent road surfacing material Expired - Lifetime EP0426760B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT89909635T ATE87681T1 (en) 1988-08-26 1989-08-25 FLUORESCENT ROAD MATERIAL.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE8802996A SE462109B (en) 1988-08-26 1988-08-26 FLUORESCENT ROAD COATING
SE8802996 1988-08-26

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0426760A1 true EP0426760A1 (en) 1991-05-15
EP0426760B1 EP0426760B1 (en) 1993-03-31

Family

ID=20373135

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP89909635A Expired - Lifetime EP0426760B1 (en) 1988-08-26 1989-08-25 Fluorescent road surfacing material

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0426760B1 (en)
JP (1) JPH03501040A (en)
DE (1) DE68905813T2 (en)
DK (1) DK165598C (en)
FI (1) FI93889C (en)
SE (1) SE462109B (en)
WO (1) WO1990002226A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2684398B1 (en) * 1991-12-03 1993-12-31 Dubois Jean Noel PHOSPHORESCENT BITUMINOUS COMPOSITION.
US5853615A (en) * 1993-11-15 1998-12-29 Cleanosol International Ab Fluorescent covering for roads, parking areas etc, which fluoresces upon illumination with ultraviolet light
SE502005C2 (en) * 1993-11-15 1995-07-10 Cleanosol Int Ab Fluorescent coating for roads, parking lots etc that fluoresce under ultraviolet light
FR2811663B1 (en) 2000-07-13 2003-05-02 Commenplus LUMINESCENT RIPING MATERIAL AND METHOD FOR PLACING SUCH MATERIAL
US8562864B2 (en) * 2008-06-24 2013-10-22 Shell Oil Company Asphalt mixture

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3253146A (en) * 1962-08-16 1966-05-24 Prismo Safety Corp Fluorescent marker pigment for roadways
CH419210A (en) * 1965-03-10 1966-08-31 Alusuisse Process for lightening the ceiling of bitumen or tar roads and squares
GB1401271A (en) * 1971-06-17 1975-07-16 Kroyer K K K Aggregate for road construction and method for the production of said aggregate
US4208300A (en) * 1973-07-11 1980-06-17 Gravisse Philippe E Photoluminescent materials and method of manufacturing same

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO9002226A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE68905813D1 (en) 1993-05-06
FI902084A0 (en) 1990-04-25
DK102090A (en) 1990-04-25
DK102090D0 (en) 1990-04-25
SE462109B (en) 1990-05-07
SE8802996L (en) 1990-02-27
WO1990002226A1 (en) 1990-03-08
EP0426760B1 (en) 1993-03-31
FI93889C (en) 1995-06-12
DK165598B (en) 1992-12-21
FI93889B (en) 1995-02-28
DE68905813T2 (en) 1993-10-21
DK165598C (en) 1993-05-03
JPH03501040A (en) 1991-03-07
SE8802996D0 (en) 1988-08-26

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