Expansion joint assembly having load transfer capacity

• US 5,470,174 A
• Filed: 10/26/1994
• Issued: 11/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kansas State University Research Foundation
• Original Assignee: Kansas State University Research Foundation
• Inventors: Hu, Kuo-Kuang, Kirmser, Philip G., Hossain, Mustaque, Swartz, Stuart E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Britts, Ramon S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): O'Connor, Pamela A.
• Application Number:
  US08/329,306
• Time in Patent Office: 398 Days
• Field of Search: 404/2, 404/50, 404/51, 404/52, 404/53, 404/54, 404/55, 404/56, 404/62, 404/61, 404/63, 404/66, 404/68, 404/70, 52/396.02, 52/396, 52/583, 52/587, 285/133.1, 285/53, 138/118.1, 138/145
• US Class Current: 404/52
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 11/106 Joints with only prefabricated packing; Packings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 11/14 Dowel assembly ; Design or construction of reinforcements in the area of joints coupling devices for prefabricated units E01C5/005; combined with characteristic packings E01C11/08 - E01C11/12; removable holders E01C23/045

Abstract

A prefabricated roadway expansion joint/load transfer assembly (10) is provided which accommodates normal expansion and contraction between adjacent slabs (90a, 90b) while transferring vertical shear loads and minimizing stress cracking of the surrounding concrete (90). The assembly (10) includes a plurality of X-configuration bar units (12) including crossed, unconnected metallic bars (20, 22) whose ends (24, 30, 28, 26) are embedded within the adjacent slabs (90a, 90b). The bar ends (24, 30, 28, 26) are coupled within the corresponding slabs (90a, 90b) through use of respective U-shaped coupling assemblies (14) each having spaced legs (38, 40) and a bight (42), and vertical tie rods (44). The individual bar units (12) are joined by laterally extending connecting rods (56-70). A central spacer (18) is supported by the bar units (12) and supplementary spring supports (76) and extends the full width of the assembly (10). In use, the cage-like assembly ( 10) is placed across a prepared road bed (88), and concrete (90) is poured over the assembly (10). The spacer (18) creates the necessary joint without the need for subsequent sawing of the concrete (90).

Claims

1. An expansion joint assembly comprising:

a pair of separate, adjacent, spaced apart concrete slabs having an elongated expansion joint therebetween;

a pair of elongated load transfer bars each integrally formed and presenting a pair of opposed ends and a leg section extending from each end, one of said leg sections of each bar being embedded in one of said concrete sections in material consisting essentially of concrete, with the other leg section of the bar being embedded in the other of said concrete sections in material consisting essentially of concrete,

said bars being oriented obliquely relative to said joint to cooperatively present a general X-configuration of bars bridging said joint, with the opposed leg sections of each bar being embedded in respective slabs,

said load transfer bars being unconnected to each other throughout the obliquely oriented lengths thereof so that tensile and compressive loading is separately carried by each of the load transfer bars.

2. The joint assembly of claim 1, including means operably coupling the embedded bar ends within each slab to each other at regions remote from said joint.

3. The joint assembly of claim 2, said coupling means including an arcuate, generally U-shaped rod segment embedded within each slab and presenting a pair of spaced legs and a bight, said legs being operatively connected to said rod ends embedded within the slab.

4. An expansion assembly comprising:

a pair of separate, adjacent spaced apart concrete slabs having an elongated expansion joint therebetween; and

a pair of elongated load transfer bars each integrally formed and presenting a pair of opposed ends with elongated, integral segments extending from each of said ends in a direction away from the joint;

said bars being oriented obliquely relative to said joint to cooperatively present a general X-configuration of bars bridging said joint, with the opposed ends of each bar and said integral segment each being embedded in respective concrete slabs in material consisting essentially of concrete,

said load transfer bars being unconnected to each other in the region of said joint.