GB2578584A - Method of removing a road marking from a road surface - Google Patents

Method of removing a road marking from a road surface Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2578584A
GB2578584A GB1817740.2A GB201817740A GB2578584A GB 2578584 A GB2578584 A GB 2578584A GB 201817740 A GB201817740 A GB 201817740A GB 2578584 A GB2578584 A GB 2578584A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
road marking
road
hydroblasting
water
spray head
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB1817740.2A
Other versions
GB201817740D0 (en
Inventor
Whitmore Peter
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.)
Thames Hydroblasting Ltd
Original Assignee
Thames Hydroblasting Ltd
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 Thames Hydroblasting Ltd filed Critical Thames Hydroblasting Ltd
Priority to GB1817740.2A priority Critical patent/GB2578584A/en
Publication of GB201817740D0 publication Critical patent/GB201817740D0/en
Publication of GB2578584A publication Critical patent/GB2578584A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current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
    • E01C23/00—Auxiliary devices or arrangements for constructing, repairing, reconditioning, or taking-up road or like surfaces
    • E01C23/06—Devices or arrangements for working the finished surface; Devices for repairing or reconditioning the surface of damaged paving; Recycling in place or on the road
    • E01C23/08—Devices or arrangements for working the finished surface; Devices for repairing or reconditioning the surface of damaged paving; Recycling in place or on the road for roughening or patterning; for removing the surface down to a predetermined depth high spots or material bonded to the surface, e.g. markings; for maintaining earth roads, clay courts or like surfaces by means of surface working tools, e.g. scarifiers, levelling blades
    • 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
    • E01C23/00—Auxiliary devices or arrangements for constructing, repairing, reconditioning, or taking-up road or like surfaces
    • E01C23/06—Devices or arrangements for working the finished surface; Devices for repairing or reconditioning the surface of damaged paving; Recycling in place or on the road
    • E01C23/08—Devices or arrangements for working the finished surface; Devices for repairing or reconditioning the surface of damaged paving; Recycling in place or on the road for roughening or patterning; for removing the surface down to a predetermined depth high spots or material bonded to the surface, e.g. markings; for maintaining earth roads, clay courts or like surfaces by means of surface working tools, e.g. scarifiers, levelling blades
    • E01C23/081—Devices or arrangements for working the finished surface; Devices for repairing or reconditioning the surface of damaged paving; Recycling in place or on the road for roughening or patterning; for removing the surface down to a predetermined depth high spots or material bonded to the surface, e.g. markings; for maintaining earth roads, clay courts or like surfaces by means of surface working tools, e.g. scarifiers, levelling blades by thermal or cryogenic treatment, excluding heating to facilitate mechanical working

Abstract

A method of removing a road marking 22 from a road surface 20 comprises pre-treating the road marking through the application of heat to soften it, before hydroblasting to remove the marking. The hydroblasting may comprise the application of high-pressure jets of water via a spray head. The road marking may be heated to a temperature between 180ºC and 200ºC. A gas or electric heating device fitted to a vehicle, or a torch, may be used to heat the road marking. Also claimed is an apparatus for removing a road marking, the apparatus comprising a heating device 14 arranged ahead of a hydroblasting unit 12 in a direction of travel. A suction device may be provided for removing and collecting debris and water from the road surface, wherein the suction device may be provided on a second vehicle connected via an umbilical to a first vehicle that performs the hydroblasting.

Description

METHOD OF REMOVING A ROAD MARKING FROM A ROAD SURFACE
The present invention relates to a method of removing a road marking from a road surface.
It is known to remove road markings from road surfaces using a technique known as hydroblasting. Hydroblasting utilises high pressure water, which is sprayed onto a road surface, to remove the road markings from the road surface. The use of high pressure water can, in some instances, damage road surfaces, resulting in the need to repair the road surfaces once the road markings have been removed. The damage may occur when the surface of the road has become unstable after a period of time or it may include a dressing that is removed along with the road marking.
The present invention aims to overcome some of the problems associated with current hydroblasting techniques.
Viewed from a first aspect, there is provided a method of removing a road marking from a road surface by hydroblasting. The method comprises pre-treating material of the road marking by applying heat to soften the road marking material prior to hydoblasting.
The pre-treating allows the hydroblasting to remove the road marking easier. It may be possible to reduce the pressure of the water or to speed up the removal of the road marking material as a result. Reducing the pressure of the water for the hydroblasting or reducing the time subjecting the road surface to hydroblasting, can reduce the possible damage to the road surface. This avoids the need for a possible re-surfacing or re-dressing of the road surface.
The pre-treating of the road marking material may comprise heating the road markings to a temperature of greater than 150°C, or optionally, greater than 170°C. The heating device may comprise a controller to be pre-set, for example at a prescribed burner setting, to control the temperature being reached in the road marking material for a known speed of pass.
The pre-treating of the road marking material may comprise heating the road markings to a temperature less than 300°C, and optionally a temperature less than 250°C, in order to avoid charring the material of the road marking or the surface of the road.
In a preferred embodiment, the pre-treating of the material of the road marking comprises heating the road marking to a temperature between 180°C and 200°C.
In preferred embodiments, the pre-treating comprises passing a head of a heating device over a portion of the road marking prior to passing a head of a hydroblasting unit over said portion of the road marking, the heating device and the hydroblasting unit being fitted to a vehicle which is passing along or over the road marking.
The heating device may be a gas heating arrangement, for example, a butane or propane burner. Alternatively the heating device may comprise an electric heating arrangement. The heat may be created locally to the road marking, for example, within a manifold or shroud that is placed over the area to be treated, or it may be generated remotely, for example, as a source of hot air, and directed via a conduit to the road marking.
In another embodiment, the pre-treating may comprise applying heat to a portion of the road marking using a torch prior to hydroblasting said portion of the road marking. The torch may be a gas torch or an electric torch, for example, as a hand held lance or piece of equipment that is used to pre-treat the road marking prior to the hydroblasting.
The hydroblasting may comprise spraying jets of water at the road marking from a spray head. The jets of water are preferably jets of high pressure water. For example, the jets of water may be emitted from a spray head at a pressure of at least 10000 psi. For example, pressures of 15000 psi, 20000 psi, 25000 psi, 30000 psi, 35000 psi may be used.
Currently water pressures of 40000 psi may be used for hydroblasting a road surface. Preferably the jets of water are emitted from the spray head at a lower pressure of not more than 40000 psi (280 MPa).
The method may remove a plurality of road markings from an area of road surface in one operational procedure. By this it is meant that the apparatus moves in one pass along the road surface and removes a plurality of road markings in the process.
The method may further comprise removing debris and water from the road surface after the road marking has been removed from the road surface.
The removing debris and water may comprise collecting the debris and water with a suction device. For example, a source of water and a suction device may be provided in or on a second vehicle which is connected by an umbilical to a first vehicle comprising the apparatus for performing the hydroblasting, the second vehicle following the first vehicle as the vehicles track along a road marking. Viewed from another aspect, the present invention can be seen to provide an apparatus for removing a road marking from a road surface. The apparatus comprises a hydoblasting unit and a heating device. The heating device is arranged ahead of the hydroblasting unit in a direction of travel to pre-treat the road marking by applying heat prior to hydroblasting the road marking with the hydroblasting unit.
The heating device may comprise a gas heating arrangement or an electric heating arrangement. For example, the heating device may comprise a plurality of torch heads for applying heat to an area of a road.
The apparatus may comprise a vehicle, for example in the form of a tractor, the vehicle supporting the heating device ahead of the hydroblasting unit.
The heating device may comprise a manifold or shroud mounted on wheels to heat an area of a road. The manifold or shroud of the heating device may have a width of between 20 cm and 50 cm.
The hydroblasting unit may comprise a spray head for spraying jets of high pressure water onto a road surface. In preferred embodiments the jets of water are emitted from the spray head at a pressure of at least 10000 psi.
The spray head may have a plurality of spray holes, each spray hole for spraying a separate jet of high pressure water onto the road surface. In preferred embodiments the plurality of spray holes may be arranged about an axis of rotation of the spray head, the spray head being rotatable about the axis of rotation.
The spray head may be provided in a housing which is mounted on wheels to enable movement of the spray head over the road surface. The spray head may have a width of between 20 cm and 50 cm.
The apparatus may further comprising a suction device for removing and collecting debris and water from the road surface. This might be provided in a separate vehicle connected by an umbilical.
Certain preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in greater detail by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic of an apparatus for removing a road marking from a road surface.
Figure 1 shows exemplary apparatus 10 for removing a road marking 22 from a road surface 20. The apparatus 10 includes a hydroblasting unit 12 comprising a spray head for directing jets of high pressure water at a road marking 22 on a road surface 20. The apparatus 10 also includes a heat source 14 for applying heat to the road markings 22 in order to soften the road marking material that forms the road marking 22. The heat source 14 may be, for example, a gas torch or an electric torch or it may be a heating device, for example, connected with or mounted on a vehicle which also comprises the hydroblasting unit 12.
For example, the hydroblasting unit 12 and the heating device may be fitted to a vehicle such that they can direct high pressure water and heat respectively at a road marking 22 as the vehicle travels along the road surface 20 and over the road marking 22. The heating device may be mounted ahead of the hydroblasting unit 12 on the vehicle so that the heating device can heat up a portion of a road marking 22 to soften it prior to the arrival of the hydroblasting unit 12 and jets of high pressure water coming from the spray head.
In use, the heat source 14 is used to pre-treat a road marking 22 by applying heat to soften the road marking 22 prior to hydroblasting. The heat source 14 is positioned vertically adjacent to a road marking 22 in order to apply heat to the road marking 22. The heat source 14 is maintained in position adjacent to the road marking 22 for a length of time adequate to soften the road marking material.
It will be appreciated that the length of time required to soften the road marking material will depend on the specific road marking material and the temperature output from the heat source 14. The temperature output from the heat source 14 is chosen to be sufficient to soften the road marking material, but not sufficient to burn the material, and in most cases not to properly melt the material.
Temperatures sufficient to burn and melt the road marking material may also damage the road surface 20, and may also make it harder to remove the road marking 22.
For example, the road marking material may be heated to a temperature of greater than 150°C or greater than 170°C. In addition, or alternatively, the road marking material may be heated to a temperature less than 300°C or less than 250°C. In addition, or alternatively, the road marking material may be heated to a temperature between 180°C and 200°C.
The temperature may be controlled by a controller or manually. The temperature may be adjusted by altering the temperature of the heat source, adjusting the height of the heating device, or altering the speed with which the heating device passes over a section of road marking.
Once the road marking material is softened, the heat source 14 is withdrawn from the road marking 22 or is moved on. Whilst the road marking material is still soft, it is removed from the road surface 20 by hydroblasting the road marking material with a jet of high pressure water. The jet of high pressure water may be directed over the road surface 20, for example, along and/or across the road marking 22, in order to separate and remove the softened material from the road surface 20. In some cases more than one pass may be required.
By pre-treating the road marking 22 by applying heat to soften the road marking 22 prior to hydroblasting, the road marking 22 can be removed from the road surface 20 more easily and more quickly. The softened material allows the road marking material to be pulled out or blasted out of the interstices in the road surface more easily.
Since the road marking material is softened, the bond between the road marking material and the road surface 20 is made weaker, and consequently the force required to remove the material from the road surface 20 is reduced. Therefore, the water pressure required to remove the road marking 22 from the road surface 20 can be made lower than that utilised in conventional hydroblasting methods. By using lower pressure water, the method can ensure that less damage is caused to the road surface 20 as a result of the hydroblasting. This, in turn, means that less work is required to be carried out on the road surface 20 after the removal of the road marking 22 in order to make the road surface 20 suitable for use.
For example, the jets of water may be emitted from the spray head at a pressure of at least 10000 psi (69 MPa). In addition, or alternatively, the jets of water may be emitted from the spray head at a pressure of not more than 40000 psi (280 MPa) In addition, since the softening of the road marking material weakens the bond between the road marking material and the road surface 20, the length of time required for hydroblasting the road marking 22 from the road surface 20 can be made shorter.
Therefore, by using the exemplary apparatus 10 and method, lower water pressures can be used to hydroblast road markings 22 from a road surface 20 in a shorter timeframe than in known removal processes. This, in addition to reducing damage caused to road surfaces during the removal process, leads to environmental benefits whilst also making road marking removal more cost effective.

Claims (25)

  1. CLAIMS: 1. A method of removing a road marking from a road surface by hydroblasting, the method comprising pre-treating material of the road marking by applying heat to soften the road marking material prior to hydoblasting.
  2. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein pre-treating the material of the road markings comprises heating the road marking material to a temperature of greater than 150°C.
  3. 3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein pre-treating the material of the road marking comprises heating the road marking material to a temperature greater than 170°C.
  4. 4. A method as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein pre-treating the material of the road marking comprises heating the road marking material to a temperature less than 300°C.
  5. 5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein pre-treating the material of the road marking comprises heating the road marking material to a temperature less than 250°C
  6. 6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein pre-treating the material of the road marking comprises heating the road marking material to a temperature between 180°C and 200°C.
  7. 7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the pre-treating comprises passing a head of a heating device over a portion of the road marking prior to passing a head of a hydroblasting unit over said portion of the road marking, the heating device and the hydroblasting unit being fitted to a vehicle which is passing along or over the road marking.
  8. 8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the heating device is a gas heating arrangement or an electric heating arrangement.
  9. 9. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the pre-treating comprises applying heat to a portion of the road marking using a torch prior to hydroblasting said portion of the road marking.
  10. 10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the torch is a gas torch or an electric torch.
  11. 11. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the hydroblasting comprises spraying jets of water at the road marking from a spray head.
  12. 12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the jets of water are jets of high pressure water, optionally wherein the jets of water are emitted from a spray head at a pressure of at least 10000 psi.
  13. 13. A method as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein the jets of water are emitted from the spray head at a pressure of not more than 40000 psi (280 MPa).
  14. 14. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the method removes a plurality of road markings from an area of road surface in one operational procedure.
  15. 15. A method as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising removing debris and water from the road surface after the road marking has been removed from the road surface.
  16. 16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein removing debris and water comprises collecting the debris and water with a suction device, and optionally wherein a source of water and a suction device are provided in or on a second vehicle which is connected by an umbilical to a first vehicle comprising apparatus for performing the hydroblasting, the second vehicle following the first vehicle as the vehicles track along a road marking.
  17. 17. An apparatus for removing a road marking from a road surface, the apparatus comprising: a hydoblasting unit; and a heating device, the heating device being arranged ahead of the hydroblasting unit in a direction of travel to pre-treat material of the road marking by applying heat to the road marking material prior to hydroblasting the road marking material with the hydroblasting unit.
  18. 18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the heating device comprises a gas heating arrangement or an electric heating arrangement.
  19. 19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the heating device comprises a plurality of torch heads for applying heat to an area of a road.
  20. 20. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 17 to 19, wherein the apparatus comprises a vehicle, the vehicle supporting the heating device ahead of the hydroblasting unit.
  21. 21. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 17 to 20, wherein the heating device comprises a manifold mounted on wheels to heat an area of a road, optionally wherein the heating device has a width of between 20 cm and 50 cm.
  22. 22. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 17 to 21, wherein the hydroblasting unit comprises a spray head for spraying jets of high pressure water onto a road surface; optionally wherein the jets of water are emitted from the spray head at a pressure of at least 10000 psi.
  23. 23. An apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the spray head has a plurality of spray holes, each spray hole for spraying a separate jet of high pressure water onto the road surface, optionally wherein the plurality of spray holes are arranged about an axis of rotation of the spray head, the spray head being rotatable about the axis of rotation.
  24. 24. An apparatus as claimed in claim 22 or 23, wherein the spray head is provided in a housing which is mounted on wheels to enable movement of the spray head over the road surface, optionally wherein the spray head has a width of between 20 cm and 50 cm.
  25. 25. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 17 to 24, further comprising a suction device for removing and collecting debris and water from the road surface.
GB1817740.2A 2018-10-30 2018-10-30 Method of removing a road marking from a road surface Withdrawn GB2578584A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1817740.2A GB2578584A (en) 2018-10-30 2018-10-30 Method of removing a road marking from a road surface

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1817740.2A GB2578584A (en) 2018-10-30 2018-10-30 Method of removing a road marking from a road surface

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB201817740D0 GB201817740D0 (en) 2018-12-19
GB2578584A true GB2578584A (en) 2020-05-20

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB1817740.2A Withdrawn GB2578584A (en) 2018-10-30 2018-10-30 Method of removing a road marking from a road surface

Country Status (1)

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GB (1) GB2578584A (en)

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2650487A1 (en) * 1976-11-04 1978-05-11 Reinhard Wirtgen Road surface marking or line removal - by heating to cause blistering followed by rotary steel brush scraping
WO2004018775A1 (en) * 2002-08-20 2004-03-04 Zamir Manor Apparatus and method for erasing road lane markings
JP2009180069A (en) * 2008-02-01 2009-08-13 Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Technology Research Institute Device for removing road surface marker, and method for removing road surface marker
DE202014009368U1 (en) * 2014-11-26 2016-02-29 Jan Cernota Milling device for removing application applied to traffic areas
CN108086111A (en) * 2017-12-29 2018-05-29 赵红丽 Heavy construction vehicle removes equipment with hand push combined road graticule

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2650487A1 (en) * 1976-11-04 1978-05-11 Reinhard Wirtgen Road surface marking or line removal - by heating to cause blistering followed by rotary steel brush scraping
WO2004018775A1 (en) * 2002-08-20 2004-03-04 Zamir Manor Apparatus and method for erasing road lane markings
JP2009180069A (en) * 2008-02-01 2009-08-13 Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Technology Research Institute Device for removing road surface marker, and method for removing road surface marker
DE202014009368U1 (en) * 2014-11-26 2016-02-29 Jan Cernota Milling device for removing application applied to traffic areas
CN108086111A (en) * 2017-12-29 2018-05-29 赵红丽 Heavy construction vehicle removes equipment with hand push combined road graticule

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB201817740D0 (en) 2018-12-19

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