EP1262601B1

EP1262601B1 - Bridging material for a joint construction as well as prefabricated bridging unit

Info

Publication number: EP1262601B1
Application number: EP02077123A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gerrit Gijsbertus Van Bochove
Original assignee: Heijmans Infrastructuur & Milieu Bv; Heijmans Infrastructuur & Mili
Current assignee: Heijmans Infrastructuur & Milieu Bv; Heijmans Infrastructuur & Mili
Priority date: 2001-05-30
Filing date: 2002-05-30
Publication date: 2007-10-03
Anticipated expiration: 2022-05-30
Also published as: EP1262601A1; ATE374866T1; DE60222718D1; DE60222718T2; NL1018173C2

Abstract

Bridging material for a joint in a road, such as a joint at the location of an abutment and a bridge deck, which bridging material is intended to be laid with a base course on the sections enclosing the joint, and the top of which bridging material is intended for applying thereon a wearing course of asphaltic concrete, comprising a bottom layer that defines a lower surface, a top layer that defines a top surface and a series of strips of a relatively hard material arranged alongside one another, which series of strips is accommodated between the two layers and which strips are intended to be laid transversely over the joint. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention is related to a joint construction, for example at the location of the transition between an abutment and a bridge deck, comprising two sections enclosing a joint, a bridging material that bridges the joint and bears on both sections, as well as a wearing course that extends continuously over the sections and the bridging material, the bridging material comprising a series of strips made of a relatively hard material arranged alongside one another in the direction of the joint.
According to a known embodiment a steel, strip-shaped plate is placed over the joint for this purpose. An asphaltic concrete is then laid without interruption over the steel plate and the adjoining surfaces of the abutment and the bridge deck. The steel plate supports the asphaltic concrete at the location of the joint, as a result of which deformation of the asphaltic concrete under the influence of road traffic should be prevented.
Since the road must be able to absorb the differences in expansion between abutment and bridge deck, according to another embodiment the asphaltic concrete is frequently replaced at the location of the joint transition by a mixture of stone chippings and modified bitumen. Such a material is sufficiently flexible to be able to absorb the differences in expansion.
The advantage of such a seamless transition of the pavement at the location of the joint is that there is no additional noise nuisance. In the case of the traditional joint constructions there is a rubber section between the pavement sections, which gives rise to impact loading by the wheels of the road traffic. A further advantage of the seamless transition is that it is more comfortable for the traffic passing over it.
Nevertheless, a seamless joint transition is also found to have disadvantages. Specifically, at relatively high temperature and high traffic loads the flexible mixture of stone chippings and bitumen can also start to deform in the vertical direction, as a result of which ruts are formed and the noise production increases. This formation of ruts also continues in the adjoining pavement sections, as a result of which the damage becomes even greater.
FR-A 2 442 299 discloses a joint construction with a bridging material for a joint in a pavement, such as a joint at the location of an abutment and a bridge deck, which bridging material is intended to be laid with a base course on the sections enclosing the joint, and the top of which bridging material is intended for applying thereon a continuous wearing course of wearing course material, comprising at least a continuous layer of material as well as a series of strips of a relatively hard material which are arranged alongside one another and are intended to be laid transversely over the joint and each have two opposing ends, the one series of ends of which series of strips can be placed on one of the sections enclosing the joint and the other series of ends can be placed on the other section thereof.
The strips which bridge the joint provide a support for the wearing course. The rubber bearing layer in which the strips are accommodated provides the bridging material with such flexibility that movements at the location of the joint as a consequence of contraction and expansion can be absorbed.
Nevertheless, this known joint construction as well has the disadvantage that concentrated strains can still arise in the pavement. The identically positioned strips are not readily able to distribute the movements over a wider area in the pavement.
The aim of the invention is to provide a joint construction with which a seamless joint transition can be produced without this resulting in the said disadvantages arising. Said aim is achieved by the characterising features of claim 1.
The asphaltic concrete can be firmly supported by means of the joint construction according to the invention. The strain or shock that is generated by mutual movements on either side of the joint is better distributed horizontally over the relatively broad area in which the ends of the strips are located, such that cracking can be largely prevented.
The spread in the position where the ends of the strips are located can be obtained in various ways. According to a first possibility the strips are offset with respect to one another in their longitudinal direction. With this arrangement the strips can be of the same or different lengths.
According to a second possibility the strips are symmetrical with respect to a common line of symmetry and at least two strips are of unequal length.
The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to a few illustrative embodiments shown in the figures.

Fig.1 shows a plan view of a bridging material according to the invention.
Fig. 2 shows a side view in section.
Fig. 3 shows a first possible joint construction.
Fig. 4 shows a second possible joint construction.

The bridging material shown in Figs 1 and 2 comprises a bottom bitumen layer 1 or adhesive layer, a top non-woven geomembrane 2 or bearing layer, and a series of strips 3 that are parallel to one another and are offset with respect to one another. These strips 3, which, for example, can consist of hard plastic, are accommodated between the bitumen layer 1 and the membrane layer 2, which latter layers are also attached to one another. As a result the bridging material 4 has good cohesion and it can be handled in a fairly simple manner.
Two possible applications of the bridging material 4 according to the invention are shown in Figs 3 and 4. In both illustrative embodiments an abutment 5 is shown on which a buffer plate 6 and a bridge deck 7 are supported, the latter by means of a sliding bearing 8.
Between the bridge deck 7 and the abutment 5 there is a joint 9, over which a steel plate 10 extends that is fixed on one side, for example to the bridge deck 7, by means of a fixing 11 and that is movably supported by means of a sliding bearing 12, for example on the abutment 5.
In the embodiment in Fig. 3 a layer of non-porous asphalt 13, 14 has been laid over the buffer plate 6, the abutment 5 and the bridge deck 7, in which layer there is a secondary joint 15. The layer of non-porous asphalt 13 extends over the bridge deck 7, over the joint 9 and over part of the abutment 5.
To provide good adhesion the bottom (bitumen) layer has been omitted over a relatively narrow strip at the ends of the bridging material 4. The one end of the protruding part of the geomembrane 2 of the bridging material 4 has been attached to the layer of non-porous asphalt 13 by means of a two-component adhesive; in a corresponding manner the other end of the geomembrane 2 has been attached to the other layer of non-porous asphalt 14. Furthermore, the bitumen layer 1 has been stuck in its entirety to the layer of non-porous asphalt 13, 14 (sliding bond). A continuous layer of porous asphalt 16 is then laid over the surface, which is now non-porous, formed by the layers of asphaltic concrete 13, 14 and the bridging material 4. At the location of the region 17 under which the bridging material 4 extend an elastic plastic fill is introduced into the voids in the porous asphalt. This is preferably effected immediately after compacting the latter, whilst the asphalt mixture is still warm. The heat in the stone matrix of the porous asphalt ensures that the viscosity of the two-component composition, from which the plastic fill is produced, decreases in the first instance. As a result the voids are filled in an optimum manner and a finely branched elastic matrix is produced.
The relatively high temperature of the asphalt mixture promotes the two-component reaction. As soon as the porous asphalt has cooled, the plastic has also cured and the wearing course is ready for use after only a few hours. Incidentally, this elastic plastic fill can also be omitted, so that only the ordinary asphalt wearing course 16 continues over the bridging material.
In the illustrative embodiment in Fig. 4 a layer of non-porous asphalt 18 has initially been laid on a similar base consisting of buffer plate 6, abutment 5 and bridge deck 7. This layer of non-porous asphalt is then removed on either side of the joint, after which a steel plate 10 is placed over the surfaces of buffer plate 6, abutment 5 and bridge deck 7 that have thus been exposed. The bridging material 4 is then placed in position, after which a mixture of porous asphalt and a plastic fill 20 is laid in the space between the layers of non-porous asphalt. This porous asphalt mixture with plastic fill can be obtained in the same way as described with reference to Fig. 3. According to a further alternative, bridging material 4 is placed on the steel plate 10 in advance and the layer of non-porous asphalt 18 is then laid over the top thereof.

Claims

Joint construction, for example at the location of the transition between an abutment (5) and a bridge deck (7), comprising two sections (5, 7; 13, 14) enclosing a joint (9, 15), a bridging material (1 - 3) that bridges the joint (9, 15) and bears on both sections (5, 7; 13, 14), as well as a wearing course (18, 16) that extends continuously over the sections (5, 7; 13, 14) and the bridging material (1 - 3), the bridging material (1 - 3) comprising a series of strips (3) made of a relatively hard material arranged alongside one another in the direction of the joint (9, 15), characterised in that the ends of at least two strips (3) located on one side of the joint (9, 15) are at unequal distances from said joint (9, 15).
Joint construction according to Claim 1, wherein the strips (3) are attached to one another.
Joint construction according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein an adhesive layer (1) is provided.
Joint construction according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the adhesive layer is the bottom layer (1) and comprises a bitumen.
Joint construction according to Claim 4, wherein the adhesive layer (1) is self-adhesive.
Joint construction according to one of Claims 1-5, wherein an upper layer (2) is provided that comprises a membrane.
Joint construction according to Claims 1-6, wherein the strips (3) are offset with respect to one another in their longitudinal direction.
Joint construction according to one of Claims 1-6, wherein the strips are symmetrical with respect to a common line of symmetry and at least two strips are of unequal length.
Joint construction according to one of Claims 1-6, wherein at its opposing edges parallel to the joint (9, 15) the top layer (2) protrudes with respect to the adhesive layer (1) and the strips (3), and the protruding ends are attached to the sections (5, 7; 13, 14).
Joint construction according to one of Claims 1-9, wherein the joint (9) is covered by a steel plate (10) over which the bridging material (1 - 3) extends (Fig. 4).
Joint construction according to one of Claim 1-9, wherein the joint (9) is covered by a steel plate (10) over which a layer of non-porous asphalt (13, 14) extends in which a secondary joint (15) is located, and the bridging material (1 - 3) extends over the layer of non-porous asphalt (13, 14) and the secondary joint (15) located therein.
Joint construction according to one of the preceding Claims 1-11, wherein the wearing course (18; 16) comprises a layer of non-porous asphalt at the location of and on either side of the joint (9; 15).
Joint construction according to one of Claims 1-11, wherein the wearing course (18; 16) comprises a layer of porous asphalt impregnated with a flexible filler at the location of and on either side of the joint (9; 15).