Pavement repair system utilizing solid phase autoregenerative cohesion

• US 9,127,413 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2015
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William B. Coe
• Original Assignee: William B. Coe
• Inventors: Coe, William B.
• Primary Examiner(s): HARTMANN, GARY S
• Application Number:
  US14/629,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20150167252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 197 Days
• Field of Search: 404/75, 404/77
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2555/34 Recycled or waste materials, e.g. reclaimed bitumen, asphalt, roads or pathways, recycled roof coverings or shingles, recycled aggregate, recycled tires, crumb rubber, glass or cullet, fly or fuel ash, or slag
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2555/86 Polymers containing aliphatic hydrocarbons only, e.g. polyethylene, polypropylene or ethylene-propylene-diene copolymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 95/005 Aqueous compositions, e.g. emulsions
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 123/22 Copolymers of isobutene; Butyl rubber ; Homo- or copolymers of other iso-olefines
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 195/005 Aqueous compositions, e.g. emulsions
• CPC Class Codes: C10C 3/002 by thermal means
• CPC Class Codes: C10C 3/10 Melting
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 11/005 Methods or materials for repairing pavings E01C7/35 takes precedence; for concrete coverings E01C7/147; for bituminous coverings E01C7/187; devices for repair works E01C23/06; repairing bridge floorings E01D22/00
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 11/16 Reinforcements as anchoring elements between layers E01C7/145, E01C7/185, E01C7/325 ; for building in general E04C
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/002 Apparatus for preparing and placing the materials and for consolidating or finishing the paving
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/15 for laying-down uncoated stone or similar materials, or for striking-off or spreading same without compacting, e.g. for crushed rock base courses, sand cushions for paving E01C19/466 , E01C19/52 take precedence; distributing E01C19/20; laying down and rolling E01C19/482
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/23 Rollers therefor; Such rollers usable also for compacting soil E01C19/41, E01C19/43, E01C19/52, E01C23/065 take precedence; specially adapted for agricultural purposes A01B29/00; garden rollers A01G20/35; making or maintaining surfaces of snow or ice E01H4/00; solely for soil compaction E02D3/026
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 21/00 Apparatus or processes for surface soil stabilisation for road building or like purposes, e.g. mixing local aggregate with binder recycling in place or on the road involving soil stabilisation E01C23/065 ; stabilising soil under existing surfacing E01C23/10; soil-conditioning or soil-stabilising materials C09K17/00; soil consolidation in general E02D3/12
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/03 Arrangements for curing paving; Devices for applying curing means; Devices for laying prefabricated underlay, e.g. sheets, membranes reinforcing elements E01C23/04; Protecting paving under construction or while curing, e.g. use of tents road barriers E01F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/04 Devices for laying inserting or positioning reinforcing elements or dowel bars with or without joint bodies installing or inserting joint bodies per se E01C23/023, E01C23/026; Removable supports for reinforcing or load transfer elements non- removable supports therefor E01C11/02 E01C11/16; side forms adapted to supporting reinforcement E01C19/50; Devices, e.g. removable forms, for making essentially horizontal ducts in paving, e.g. for prestressed reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/06 Devices or arrangements for working the finished surface working freshly laid paving E01C19/42 - E01C19/44, E01C23/02; mining picks E21C35/18; Devices for repairing or reconditioning the surface of damaged paving; Recycling in place or on the road
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/065 Recycling in place or on the road, i.e. hot or cold reprocessing of paving in situ or on the traffic surface, with or without adding virgin material or lifting of salvaged material; Repairs or resurfacing involving at least partial reprocessing of the existing paving in situ mixing of hydraulic cement concrete E01C19/025; apparatus for in-plant recycling E01C19/1004, E01C19/1036
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/07 Apparatus combining measurement of the surface configuration of paving with application of material in proportion to the measured irregularities measuring means only E01C23/01 G01B
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/10 for raising or levelling sunken paving; for filling voids under paving; for introducing material into substructure consolidating soil in general E02D3/12
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/14 for heating or drying foundation, paving, or materials thereon, e.g. paint E01C23/03 takes precedence; heating or drying devices incorporated in the paving E01C11/26; surface soil stabilisation by fusing, calcining or burning soil in situ E01C21/02; for street cleaning E01H1/08; melting snow or ice on surfacing E01H5/10
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 7/187 : Repairing bituminous covers, e.g. regeneration of the covering material in situ, application of a new bituminous topping application of thin surface layers with other binders E01C7/35; repairing pavings in general E01C11/005
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 7/36 : by subjecting soil to stabilisation E01C7/06 takes precedence; foundations E01C3/04; soil conditioning or soil stabilising materials C09K17/00; soil stabilisation devices for road construction E01C21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 5/02 : having no beam-forming means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/48 : Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/54 : Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/62 : Apparatus for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/80 : Apparatus for specific applications stoves or ranges F24C7/02

Abstract

A method for repairing an aged asphalt pavement is provided. The method involves passing an emitter over the aged asphalt pavement, wherein the emitter generates electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of from 20 microns to 1 mm that penetrates into the pavement to a depth of at least 2 inches. The asphalt pavement is repaired by disturbing voids and interstices in the damaged pavement without dehydrogenation of the asphalt, such that oligomers present in the aged asphalt are linked together into longer polymer chains to improve ductility of the aged asphalt.

Claims

1. A method for repairing an asphalt pavement, comprising:

passing an emitter over an aged asphalt pavement, wherein the emitter generates electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of from 20 microns to 1 mm, the radiation penetrating into the pavement to a depth of at least 2 inches, wherein a temperature differential throughout a top two inches of pavement is 100°

F. or less, wherein a highest temperature in the top two inches of pavement does not exceed 300°

F., and wherein a minimum temperature in the top two inches of pavement is at least 200°

F., whereby voids and interstices in the damaged pavement are disturbed without dehydrogenation of the asphalt, and whereby oligomers present in the aged asphalt are linked together into longer polymer chains, whereby ductility of the asphalt is improved;

allowing the pavement to cool to below 190°

F.; and

applying a compacting roller to the asphalt pavement to minimize voids and surface irregularities, wherein the asphalt is at a temperature no lower than 150°

F.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing road reflectors, thermoplastic imprinting, and safety devices by mechanically removing prior to passing the emitter over the aged asphalt pavement.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the emitter is a panel comprising a serpentine wire and a micaceous material through which the electromagnetic radiation generated by the emitter passes.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the emitter produces electromagnetic radiation with a power density of from 0.47 to 2.33 W/cm² or from 133 to 664 (ft·

lb_f/min)/in².

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a density of the compacted asphalt pavement is similar to that of virgin asphalt pavement.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the oligomers possess 2-150 repeating units.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the emitter comprises at least one emitter panel, wherein each emitter panel comprises:

a frame having a high-density ceramic liner;

a sheet of a micaceous material exhibiting biaxial birefringence; and

a serpentine wire positioned between the high-density ceramic liner and the sheet of the micaceous material.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the emitter comprises a hood having a cavity therein, wherein the frame is attached to reels on the outside of the hood, to permit adjustment of the at least one emitter panel within the cavity.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the emitter panel is configured to be adjusted such that a distance of an emitter surface to a pavement surface is from a quarter of an inch to an inch.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the emitter further comprises a power source configured to supply electrical power to the at least one emitter panel, wherein the power source is a portable generator.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the portable generator is a diesel generator configured to deliver at least 250 kW.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the aged asphalt pavement is a standard road or highway traffic lane including an associated shoulder, and wherein the emitter is sized so as to irradiate the standard road or highway traffic lane including an associated shoulder.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the aged asphalt pavement is a two lane road, and wherein the emitter is sized so as to irradiate a full width of the two lane road.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the emitter comprises a plurality of emitter panels, wherein each emitter panel is in a shape of a square or a rectangle having dimensions of about 12 inches by about 24 inches, and wherein the plurality of emitter panels are arranged in an array wherein each emitter panel abuts an adjacent emitter panel.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the emitter comprises a 2×

12 array of one foot square emitter panels.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the emitter further comprises a tow rig configured to pull the emitter unit.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein the serpentine wire is embedded in a support.

18. The method of claim 7, wherein the serpentine wire is self-supporting.

19. The method of claim 7, wherein the emitter further comprises a sheath of stainless steel configured to protect the micaceous material from being damaged.

20. The method of claim 7, wherein the emitter panel is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation at a wavelength of from about 2 microns to about 100 microns.

21. The method of claim 7, wherein the emitter panel is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation at a wavelength of from about 20 microns to about 100 microns.

22. The method of claim 7, wherein the serpentine wire is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation with a peak wavelength of about 2 micrometers, and wherein the wavelength is lengthened to 20 micrometers upon passing through the micaceous material.