GB2390388A

GB2390388A - Temporary roadway

Info

Publication number: GB2390388A
Application number: GB0215352A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart Mcclean
Original assignee: MAC PLANT SERVICES Ltd; VIAFLEX Ltd
Current assignee: VIAFLEX LIMITED
Priority date: 2002-07-03
Filing date: 2002-07-03
Publication date: 2004-01-07
Also published as: GB0215352D0

Abstract

The temporary roadway, e.g. for use on landfill sites, quarries etc., includes a plurality of decking sections 11-14 connected together, each section including a body made of a reinforced elastomer material and having an upper surface 20 to which a plurality of gripping members are attached which in use provide grips for vehicle wheels passing over the roadway. The reinforcement for each section is preferably provided by members that pass longitudinally through the elastomeric material relative to the roadway, with the reinforcing members preferably comprising metal ropes or cables. The sections may include additional reinforcement such as fibres which may extend transversely or longitudinally. The decking sections are preferably formed from rubber and the gripping members are attached to the upper side of the sections by fasteners which pass through the elastomeric body between the reinforcing members to engage a mounting plates adjacent the underside of the sections. The gripping members are preferably metallic and stand proud of the upper surface in use. Each section preferably includes a connector at each longitudinal end that includes male and female formations with openings that, when aligned, allow adjacent sections to be joined together using a connecting pin, which may also facilitate the connection of sections transversely as well as longitudinally.

Description

l i Title: Temporary Roadway Description of Invention

This invention relates to a temporary roadway.

Temporary roadways are used for example, for landfill sites and quarries where vehicular access is required on a temporary basis, to areas of the site or quarry. Subsequent to use, which may be a matter of days, weeks or months, an alternative vehicular access may be required.

Conventionally, to provide such temporary roadway for a landfill site, aggregate is laid. However aggregate is expensive and utilises landfill void space. Other alternatives are to use a known temporary decking which typically includes metal strips connected together for relative pivotal movement side by side transversely of the decking. However as soon as such metal decking becomes damaged by denting for example, the decking cannot be ready re-

deployed for use to provide an alternative vehicular access without repair or may be rendered irreparable.

According to a first aspect of the invention we provide a temporary roadway including a plurality of decking sections connected together to provide a width and extent of the temporary roadway required, each section including a body made of a reinforced elastomer material, an upper surface of the material having attached thereto a plurality of gripping members which in use provide grips for vehicle wheels passing over the roadway.

By providing a temporary roadway with sections with bodies of elastomeric material, the roadway is sufficiently hardy to withstand the stresses and strains imposed upon it by even very heavy vehicles passing over the roadway. By virtue of the bodies of the sections being made of an elastomeric

1: material, the bodies can resiliently deform to an extent permitted by their reinforcement in response to a vehicle passing over the roadway.

The reinforcement for each section is preferably provided by e.g. metallic, members passing longitudinally of the roadway through the elastomeric material, although in an alternative arrangement, such longitudinal reinforcement members may be secured, for example to the underside of the elastomeric material body or even the upper side as desired.

The reinforcement members in one example include metal ropes or cables which are flexible whilst providing the elastomeric material with great strength. Preferably there is a high density of reinforcing members extending through the bodies of the decking sections to provide the bodies with sufficient rigidity. Additional reinforcement may be provided for the elastomeric material, such as fibres embodied in the elastomeric material, which fibres may extend transversely and/or longitudinally of the roadway.

In a preferred arrangement, the elastomeric material is natural or synthetic rubber material, although other suitable elastomeric material may be used as required.

The gripping members preferably are attached to the upper sides of the elastomeric bodies of the sections by fasteners which pass through the respective elastomeric body. Where a high density of reinforcing members is provided, the fasteners preferably extend through the elastomeric material between the reinforcing members. If desired, a mounting plate for each gripping member may be provided on the underside of the elastomeric body which is secured relative to a respective gripping member by the fasteners.

Preferably the gripping members are metallic and stand proud of the upper side of the elastomeric material body so as to provide adequate grip for a vehicle tyre.

Preferably at each longitudinal end of each section of the temporary roadway there is provided a connector by means of which the section can be at least longitudinally connected to an adjacent section. Preferably the connector includes male and female formations which co-operate respectively with female and male formations of the next adjacent section. For example the female formations may be provided by a pair of members between which a male formation of the adjacent section is received, the male and female formations having openings which when aligned, may receive a connecting pin.

Thus each pair of longitudinally arranged sections may relatively move about the transverse axis of the connecting pin.

The temporary roadway may include a plurality of sections transversely of the roadway, with a connecting pin connecting a male and female pair of sections longitudinally, also serving to connect a pair of transversely adjacent roadway sections to the first mentioned pair.

According to a second aspect of the invention we provide a section of a temporary roadway according to the first aspect of the invention.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 is an illustrative perspective view of part of a temporary roadway in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of part of the roadway of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end axis sectional view of part of the section of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a temporary roadway 10 which includes a plurality of sections some of which are indicated at 11 to 14.

Each section, e.g. section 11, includes a body 15 made of an elastomeric material such as natural or synthetic rubber, typically having a thickness of about 30mm although for a lighter duty roadway the thickness may be as small as 20mrn, or for a heavier duty roadway, the thickness may be up to 40 or even SOmm.

Referring to Figure 3 it can be seen that within the body 15 there are provided a plurality of reinforcing members 18 each of which extends longitudinally of the section 11 from one end to the other, the reinforcing members 18 in this example comprising steel cables or ropes. Instead of steel cables or ropes, which exhibit flexibility, other reinforcement members may be provided such as more rigid metal bars, or a suitable plastic material. The reinforcing members 18 may be of round cross section as shown, or any other cross section as desired, and need not extend longitudinally as in this example, although this configuration is preferred. Instead, the reinforcement within the elastomeric body IS may be provided by a matrix of metallic or rigid reinforcing members as desired.

In the example shown, the density of reinforcing members 18 within the elastomeric body IS is high so that there only relatively small spaces between the reinforcing members 18. In practice, the reinforcing members may each have a diameter of about 1 5mm, each made up of individual braided or parallel strands, e.g. six strands. In one arrangement, a reinforcing member 18 may be provided every 2-3 cm or so across the width of the section 11.

Attached to an upper surface 20 of the elastomeric body 15, there are provided a plurality of gripping members 22 arranged in an array over the surface 20 so as substantially to cover the surface 20 in as much as the gripping members 22 provide for grip for a vehicle tyre over substantially the entire upper surface 20 of the body 15.

The gripping members 22 each include a base plate 24 from which extends upwardly a gripping formation 25 which preferably extends transversely of the longitudinally extent of the section 11 of the temporary roadway 10.

The base plates 24 are each attached to the upper surface 20 of the elastomeric body 15 by means of fasteners 28 which in this example comprise bolts and nuts, but may be rivets or other fasteners, which extend through the

elastomeric body 15, in the spaces between the reinforcement members 18. On the underside 29 of the elastomeric body, there are provided support plates 30, one for each gripping member 22, the support plates 30 and gripping members 22 sandwiching the elastomeric body material 15 therebetween. Thus the gripping members 22 are rigidly affixed to the upper surface 20 of the elastomeric body 15.

At each of the longitudinal ends of the elastomeric body, there is provided a connector 35. Each of the connectors 35 is attached to the elastomeric material 15 by fasteners 36 which pass through the elastomeric body 15, with there being a suitable support plate on the underside 29 of the elastomeric body 15.

Each connector 35 includes both a female formation 40 and male formation 41, the male and female formations 4O, 41 being provided towards opposition sides of the section 11, and the connectors 35 at the opposite ends of the body 15 being oppositely handed. The female formations 40 each include a pair of spaced apart members. Thus the female formation 40 of for example section 1 1, may receive the male formation 41 of the next longitudinal section 14 of the temporary roadway 10, whilst the male formation 41 of section 11 is received within the female formation 40 of the next longitudinal section 14 of the roadway 10.

Each of the male and female formations 40 and 41 have a simple opening through which a connecting pin 45 may be inserted when the openings are suitable aligned, the pin 45 being maintained in position by spring clips 46 or the like.

Thus not only does each section 11 to 14 of the roadway exhibit some resilience and compliance by virtue of the elastomeric material of its body 15 and the flexible reinforcing members 18, but the connectors 35 and in particular the connections by the pins 45 permit substantial pivoting movement between adjacent longitudinal sections 11,14 for example.

If it is desired to provide a temporary roadway 10 having a width greater than the width of the single section 11 and 14, then additional sections 12 and 13 may be placed alongside me sections 11 and 14. The pins 45 may be sufficiently long not only to connect the male and female formations 40 and 41 of longitudinally adjacent sections l l and 14, but may also serve to connect the adjacent sections 11 and 12 and 14 and 13 to each other.

Of course if desired, a single connecting pin 45 across the entire width of the temporary roadway 10 may be provided, although using shorter pins 45, the same components may be used more flexibly to provide roadways of differing widths. More than two sections 11,12 or 14,13 may be placed side by side as desired to provide a roadway 10 of a desired width, and of course any number of sections 11 to 14 may be provided so that the temporary roadway extends longitudinally for whatever distance is required.

Within the elastomeric material of the body 15, additional reinforcement may be provided such as fibre reinforcement or the like for added strength as desired which fibres may extend transversely and/or longitudinally as desired.

However using a suitable grade rubber or synthetic rubber elastomer, the body 15 with its internal reinforcing elements 18 will be adequately strong for the intended purpose of the temporary roadway.

It will be appreciated that the temporary roadway 10 may be constructed wherever desired. Moreover when it is desired to provide an alternative temporary roadway, the sections 11 to 14 may be separated by removal of the connecting pin or pins 45, and then the sections 11 to 14 may be relaid in an alternative location side by side or length to length as desired.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

For example, instead of providing internal reinforcing members 18, reinforcement may be secured to an underside surface 29 or even an upper side 20 of the elastomeric body 15 by fixings, adhesive or any other manner.

Alternative connectors 35 to those indicated may be provided although the male and female formations 40 and 41 described to provide a very simple and easy to use and reliable connection between adjacent sections.

Instead of having discrete gripping members 22 to provide a matrix of gripping members 22 across the upper surface 20 of the temporary roadway sections 11-14, gripping members may be provided which extend across a greater proportion of e.g. the whole width of each section 11 to 14 of the roadway 10. The gripping members 15 need not be metallic as described although this is preferred, but may be provided at least in part by a suitably hard synthetic material.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following

claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A temporary roadway including a plurality of decking sections connected together to provide a width and extent of the temporary roadway required, each section including a body made of a reinforced elastomer material, an upper surface of the material having attached thereto a plurality of gripping members which in use provide grips for vehicle wheels passing over the roadway.

2. A roadway according to claim I wherein the reinforcement for each section is provided by members passing longitudinally of the roadway through the elastomeric material.

3. A roadway according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the reinforcing members are metal ropes or cables.

4. A roadway according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3 wherein there is a high density of reinforcing members extending through the bodies of the decking sections.

5. A roadway according to any one of the preceding claims wherein additional reinforcement is provided for the elastomeric material, such as fibres embodied in the elastomeric material, which fibres extend transversely and/or longitudinally of the roadway.

6. A roadway according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the elastomeric material is natural or synthetic rubber material.

7. A roadway according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the gripping members are attached to the upper sides of the elastomeric bodies of the sections by fasteners which pass through the respective elastomeric body.

8. A roadway according claim 7 where dependent upon claim 4 wherein the fasteners extend through the elastomeric material between the reinforcing members.

9. A roadway according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein a mounting plate for each gripping member is provided on the underside of the elastomeric body which is secured relative to a respective gripping member by the fasteners.

10. A roadway according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the gripping members are metallic and stand proud of the upper side of the elastomeric material body so as to provide adequate grip for a vehicle tyre.

11. A roadway according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at each longitudinal end of each section of the temporary roadway there is provided a connector by means of which the section can be at least longitudinally connected to an adjacent section.

12. A roadway according to claim 11 wherein the connector includes male and female formations which co-operate respectively with female and male formations of the next adjacent section.

13. A roadway according to claim 12 wherein the female formations are provided by a pair of members between which a male formation of the adjacent

section is received, the male and female formations having openings which when aligned, and in use, receive a connecting pin.

14. A roadway according to any one of claims 11 to 13 wherein the temporary roadway includes a plurality of sections transversely of the roadway, with a connecting pin connecting a male and female pair of sections longitudinally, also serving to connect a pair of transversely adjacent roadway sections to the f rst mentioned pair.

15. A temporary roadway substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.

16. A section of a temporary roadway according to any one of the preceding claims.

17. A section of a temporary roadway substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.

18. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.