Abstract: A seal assembly configured to seal against a surface of a seal depressor is disclosed. The seal assembly includes a body member configured to elastically expand from an original state into an expanded state. The body member exerts a sealing pressure against the surface of the seal depressor when in the expanded state. The seal assembly also includes one or more actuation members constructed from a shape memory material having a high energy state and a low energy state. The one or more actuation members are configured to urge the body member of the seal assembly from the original state into the expanded state when the shape memory material transitions from the low energy state to the high energy state.

Abstract: A construction joint bridging device with a joint sealing profile and a joint sealing profile as such, as well as a method for producing a joint sealing profile and a method for producing and disassembling a construction joint bridging device. The joint sealing profile consisting at least partially of an elastic material and having a holding portion for fastening to the construction joint bridging device, wherein the holding portion has at least in sections a material composition which can be activated in a targeted manner by chemical, thermal and physical exposure so that the volume of the holding portion changes.

Abstract: An expansion joint seal includes a seal body and a plurality of seal caps, wherein the seal body is made of a material having a first hardness, and the seal caps are made of a material having a second hardness that is greater than the first hardness. The seal body includes a plurality of walls that form hollow cells. The seal body includes a plurality of traffic bearing surfaces that are separated from one another by grooves and are thereby discontinuous relative to one another. The hollow cells and the grooves allow the seal body to expand and contract as an expansion joint increases and decreases in size due to thermal and/or load variations. The seal caps cover the traffic bearing surfaces of the seal body, such that each of the traffic bearing surfaces of the seal body is covered by a separate one of the seal caps.

Abstract: A method of sealing a gap between construction slabs by deforming and inserting a sealing member of closed cell foam is described. An assembly including a deformed sealing member and construction slabs is disclosed. Also described is a joint seal configured to seal a gap between constructions slabs, which utilizes a deformed sealing member of closed cell foam installed within the gap.

Abstract: An expansion joint formed within a channel between two adjacent road surfaces and a method of preparing an expansion joint. The joint is formed within a channel having sides each extending from an adjacent road surface to a bottom side of the channel. The joint construction may include at least one layer of a binder covering at least a portion of the sides of the channel, and one or more layers of aggregate chips and the binder covering the at least one binder layer so as to fill the channel to at least the top of the road surface. The cumulative surface area of the two channel sides may be greater than the cumulative surface area of two channel sides each planar and perpendicular to the bottom. The joint construction may include a plate on the bottom side of the channel. The joint construction may include a flexible sheeting between the plate and the at least one binder layer.

Abstract: A permeable surface covering unit comprises a top surface and at least two pairs of irregularly shaped mating sides, one or more passageways extending downwardly from the top surface, and at least one under channel connected to the passageways for retaining liquid, such as storm water. The sides of the unit preferably define an irregular rotational tessellation element. The passageways may comprise gaps or side cavities between units and/or core cavities or other passageways within the unit. Optional undercuts may be provided in the core cavities. Pervious material plugs are cast into the cavities extending into the channel or undercut. Thereby the plug is locked into the cavity like a rivet and resists being dislodged by mechanical or hydraulic forces. A permeable surface embodiment comprises a combination of pervious and impervious units, wherein the ratio of permeable to impermeable units and resulting surface absorption rate may be adjusted.

Abstract: A jointing structure comprising multiple steps provided face to face at the coaxially built traveling path ends with an expansion gap between, multiple elastic members respectively mounted inside the multiple steps, and a joint block mounted on the multiple elastic members across the expansion gap. Multiple supporting blocks and one or more than one intermediate joint block are mounted inside the multiple steps with the joint block between. The multiple supporting blocks, the joint block and the one or more than one intermediate joint block are of concrete. The elastic members are joined together across the expansion gap. The elastic member on one side is fixed to the inside of the step on one side and then subjected to deformation toward the bridge girder axis, and thereafter, the elastic member on the other side is fixed to the inside of the step on the other side.

Abstract: A cover plate system for a gap (15) between two structural members (10, 20) is provided. The system includes an elongated cover (30) that extends across the gap (15) from a first structural member (10) to a second, spaced-apart structural member (20). The cover plate system further includes damped spring anchors (40) for engaging the cover plate (30) to an underlying structural member (10) and dampers (50, 60) for absorbing energy imparted to the cover plate (30) by vehicular traffic. The cover plate system minimizes the strain energy that is absorbed by the cover plate (30), which results in less cover plate slapping and bouncing during operation.

Abstract: An expansion joint sealing system may be used to provide a continuous and seamless waterproof membrane across a gap in an expansion joint. The expansion joint sealing system includes sealing members that are provided with a keyway for accepting and interlocking a coating membrane. Also disclosed are an expansion joint including spaced apart structural members and the sealing system and a method for sealing a gap between two spaced apart structural members.

Abstract: A cover plate system for a gap (15) between two structural members (10, 20) is provided. The system includes an elongated cover (30) that extends across the gap (15) from a first structural member (10) to a second, spaced-apart structural member (20). The cover plate system further includes damped spring anchors (40) for engaging the cover plate (30) to an underlying structural member (10) and dampers (50, 60) for absorbing energy imparted to the cover plate (30) by vehicular traffic. The cover plate system minimizes the strain energy that is absorbed by the cover plate (30), which results in less cover plate slapping and bouncing during operation.

Abstract: A pre-fabricated concrete slab system and method have matching rectangular slabs with cooperatively fitting male and female type connectors which fit adjacent to each other in a checkerboard fashion. The slabs include spaced reinforcing rods extending longitudinally and transversely therethrough. In at least some of the slabs, the rods' distal ends protrude outwardly away from one or more side edges of the slabs to form a plurality of male connectors. Correspondingly, at least some of the slabs include a plurality of corresponding female sockets on one or more sides thereof, each female socket receiving a corresponding male connector when dropped therein. Through interconnection of corresponding female sockets and male connectors by steel reinforcing bars extending in both the longitudinal and transverse directions, a continuous tension reinforcement is established between adjacent slabs in both the longitudinal and transverse directions.

Abstract: A joint stabilizing apparatus having an expandable cylindrical housing is inserted into a circular hole drilled at a “loose joint” of a concrete slab that is to be stabilized against relative vertical displacement between adjacent slab sections. The hole is drilled downward into the concrete, centered on the plane of a lateral opening/joint in the concrete slab. The expandable housing comprises two rigid semi-circular housing halves, and the assembly is oriented inside of the circular hole such that the two housing halves are on opposite sides of the centerline of the lateral opening/joint. The housing halves are pushed apart by turning of a threaded bolt inside of the housing. Turning of the bolt causes two bi-laterally symmetric wedge blocks to draw towards each other, and pressing the bearing surfaces of the wedge blocks against inclined surfaces inside of the respective housing halves.

Abstract: A pre-fabricated warped pavement slab and a forming system for making the slabs. The forming system includes a plurality of forming sections which can be adjusted so as to form a warped-plane pavement slab. Also disclosed are methods for making the pavement slab and forming system. Also disclosed is a method for installing the warped pavement slab.

Abstract: A pre-fabricated pavement slab having a binder distribution system and an interconnection system formed for attachment of the bottom surface of the slab, wherein both the binder distribution system and the interconnection system are accessible from the top surface of the slab, such that the binder material may be injected into the binder distribution and interconnection systems from the top surface of the slab.

Abstract: An expansion joint structure to be placed between adjacent concrete slabs in a concrete slab system comprises a first profile element to be attached to an edge of a first concrete slab, and a second profile element to be attached to an edge of a second concrete slab, the profile elements being joined together by removable connecting strips such that there is a gap between the profile elements. The profile elements and connecting strips constitute a single continuous entity of extruded aluminum profile. The connecting strips are attached by outer edges to the profile elements through very thin neck portions that keep the elements together during the pouring of the slab. The expansion joint structure is positioned on the concreting base at the correct height prior to the pouring of the concrete slabs.

Abstract: A sealing element for the recessed seat of an expansion joint in a concrete structure having an elastomeric profile (20) formed by two longitudinal lateral flanges (21) to be fixed to the end edges of the concrete structure (11), and a central portion (22) formed by walls depending from said flanges and converging to a central area to be fitted inside the seat (12), and shaped to support the hydrostatic pressure upstream of the concrete structure (10). A flexible duct (30) is installed inside the seat (12) below the central portion central area and provided with radial bores (31) opened to the inside of the seat to allow the selective feeding of precatalyzed polymeric resin to the inside of the seat (12), after the elastomeric profile (20) has been mounted and affixed to the concrete structure (10). The tube can be separate from the profile, attached to the central area, or the central area can have a W shape and the tube be within the lower portion of the W.

Abstract: A foam backed precured joint seal comprising a strip of precured elastomer wider than the joint to be sealed, the strip centrally adhered along its length to an elongated foam backing.

Abstract: A prestressed pavement has apparatus to prestress the slabs, has slab abutments to resist the prestress force, has short-life friction-reducing medium to prevent the slab early cracking, has restraints to prevent the slab buckling, and has accumulators to control the prestress. The pavement does not need longitudinal tensile material, and can be built by continuous and one-time concrete casting. The prestressing is simple, fast, and may be delayed or made by stages. The techniques can be used to convert existing non-prestressed concrete pavements to prestressed pavements.

Abstract: A pre-fabricated pavement slab having a binder distribution system and an interconnection system formed for attachment of the bottom surface of the slab, wherein both the binder distribution system and the interconnection system are accessible from the top surface of the slab, such that the binder material may be injected into the binder distribution and interconnection systems from the top surface of the slab.

Abstract: A joint seal is designed to maintain its proper position in the joint groove opening port to create an effective seal between the inner walls of the joint groove and to resist peeling or damage, even in an event, such as an earthquake, during which the adjacent outer wall materials shift; and to have a joint base material 2, a sealing material 3 and a heart wood 8. The joint base material 2 has at least two seal tongue pieces 14a and 14b projecting from the outer face of side plates 5, 5. A number of small openings 8 to allow sealing material to be pressed out at the insertion of heart wood 8 is punched between the seal tongue pieces 14a and 14b, and release mold sheets 18a and 18b are attached to joint base material 2 as a cap member covering the small openings 8 and the opening ports of side plates 5, 5.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a joining method and a joining structure as well as a form for concrete products. A protruding portion provided at the front end of a seal member of elastic material attached to one concrete product is inserted through an opening formed in a joining face of the other concrete product into an attachment hole of enlarged diameter provided at a depth of the opening, while bringing a closing press contact portion of the seal member into press contact with inner surfaces of the opening to achieve an airtight condition inside the attachment hole, followed by filling grout into a space defined between inner surfaces of the attachment hole and the protruding portion and setting the grout there to join the concrete products together.

Abstract: A device for sealing concrete joints is provided. The sealing device includes an elongate section (8) having a larger width than thickness (t). The section (8) has longitudinal edge portions (12, 13) and is intended for casting into two concrete structures (1, 2) for sealing a concrete joint area between the two structures (1,2). A swellable material (7, 14) is provided at least at the longitudinal edge portions (12, 13) thereof. The section (8) is made of a substantially rigid material and is provided with an internal cavity extending over a major part of its width.

Abstract: To avoid leakage in concrete structures with dilatation joints and to prevent dirt from accumulating in the joints there has been developed a dilatation joint element which is easy to mount, reliable and essentially maintenance-free. The dilatation joint element according to the invention is comprised of opposed, longitudinal angle elements interconnected in pairs and made of metal with interposed jointing compound, reinforcement bands and robber elements. With curved band sections and rubber elements between the angle elements and a curved jointing compound section which is attached to the upper band section there is provided a supporting, power-compensating and power-distributing function when the joint is subjected to load, both at compression, expansion and shearing, providing a tight, reliable and loadable joint with good fatigue strength.

Abstract: A shaped, water-expandable water-sealing article used for sealing an area between a first section of at least partially cured concrete and a second, adjacent section of substantially uncured concrete. The clay water sealing article is in the shape of a quadrilateral, preferably a trapezoid, and is disposed to bridge an area between the two sections of concrete. Upon hydration of the clay contained within the shaped water sealing article, expansion of the clay creates expansion forces extending from a corner of the article that is surrounded by the uncured concrete, wherein the corner has an included angle greater than 90.degree., preferably at least 100.degree.. The expansion force developed by the expansion of the shaped water sealing article are absorbed by a substantially increased area of the uncured concrete as compared to expansion forces resulting from a clay-based water seal having a 90.degree. included angle at the corner(s) surrounded by the uncured concrete.

Abstract: Joint forms for use in concrete slab formation. Such joint forms may be locked vertically and, if desired, laterally onto joint forms stakes by virtue of a number of aligned stake ear slots 26 and locking slots 28 which cooperate with corresponding ears and locking tabs on the stakes. The joint forms may include a number of stake retention slots aligned with the stake ear slots and locking slots, so that the stakes may be passed through portions of the joint forms in order to lock the forms laterally to the stakes as well as vertically so as not to separate from the stakes during concrete pouring.

Abstract: The sealant installer is pulled along the roadbed over the joint to be sealed and the installer wheel engaging the road surface on opposite sides of the joint slot pulls sealant by operation of teeth engaging the sealant through a lubricated feed chute which reduces the cross sectional width of the sealant to a size smaller than the width of the slot in the joint. Timing is assured without bunching or stretching of the sealant.

Abstract: An improved article and method for making and installing a bridge deck replacement system. Subsystem articles include a plurality of precast slabs which contain features, notably projections and plates which depend from the underside thereof, which are used to form both haunch forms/molds and grout engaging devices. When used in conjunction with the conventional and preestablished supporting structure subsystem, the slabs, though use of the various devices included and/or depending therefrom, non-shrink grouting and the improved method of installation, are securable thereto and, yet, may be severally and/or discretely removed at a later time and replaced with new slabs. The replacement facility is obtained concomitant with the attainment of an overall system having a truly composite action in that slabs and support structure subsystems function as a singular unit.

Abstract: A retrofit for diverting water leaking into an elevated expansion joint is formed by lowering an applicator that carries an adhesively treated water run-off arrangement into the joint and pressing the arrangement against inside walls of the joint with an expanding bladder under fluid pressure. When the adhesive cures, reducing the pressure collapses the bladder and allows withdrawal of the applicator.

Abstract: A variable gap sealing article for sealing between a first surface and a second surface has an elongated body portion with a resilient contractible portion and an expandable portion. The article fills a gap between the surfaces by expanding the expandable portion and compressing the contractible portion.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an oral hygiene composition which comprises a 0.1 to 30% by weight of a bamboo-salt alone based on the total weight of the composition or a mixture of bamboo-salt and sodium chloride said mixture being in a mixed ratio of 1:5 to 1:15.

Abstract: A retrofit for diverting water leaking into an elevated expansion joint is formed by lowering an applicator that carries an adhesively treated water run-off arrangement into the joint and pressing the arrangement against inside walls of the joint with an expanding bladder under fluid pressure. When the adhesive cures, reducing the pressure collapses the bladder and allows withdrawal of the applicator.

Abstract: A device for bridging over expansion joints of a roadway includes a matting of elastomeric substance placed over spaced elements of a joint to bridge the same. The matting has longitudinal portions held in grooves provided in retainer profiles positioned along the edge of each element of the joint. The longitudinal portions of the matting have ribs which fit into the grooves of the retainer profiles and fill the grooves so as to leave an anchoring space between the bottom of each groove and the ribs. The matting has holes which connect the upper surface of the matting with the anchoring space. The holes are filled with elastomeric synthetic resin casting which also fills the anchoring space.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a compensating highway joint system for interconnecting adjacent concrete highway sections having obliquely disposed end joints. The highway joint utilizes a V-shaped vertical separator plate which forms a tongue and groove relationship between adjacent highway sections and the separator plate supports a plurality of elongated slab bolts having opposite end regions embedded within the adjacent sections. A portion of the central region of the slab bolts is provided with a jacket of elastomeric material to provide a clearance from the surrounding concrete permitting the bolts to bend, and the ends of the bolts are provided with power cells which engage the concrete and are mounted on the bolts for limited axial displacement thereon and include spring structure to prevent excessive tension forces from being imposed on the slab bolts during extreme temperature changes.

Abstract: An expansion joint is shown for use in joining adjacent concrete sections separated by an expansion slot such as in a roadway having concrete sections and a slot therebetween. The joint includes a preformed longitudinal sealing element which is formed of a resilient material and installed within the slot. An initially flowable adhesive material is applied between the sealing element and opposing side surfaces of the concrete sections making up the joint. The moduli of elasticity of the adhesive material and sealing element are selected so that forces exerted upon the joint by expansion and contraction of the concrete sections result in movement of the central sealing element, rather than exerting strain upon the adhesive bond.

Abstract: A non-corrosive load transfer cell assembly for transverse joints in concrete pavement structures including support chairs, a pair of plastic walls abutting the edges of the concrete joints, a drainage trough for continuous drainage flow, a joint forming guide to wet form the upper portion of the joint through the concrete material, and compressed elastomers which space the wall liners apart and cooperate with threaded compression means to provide a load transfer supplement to steel dowels which pass through the elastomers.

Abstract: Procedure of locating expansion joints (7) in a concrete bed (3,4) during manufacture (casting) by locating pre-fabricated joint elements (11,12) consisting of long rails made of reinforced concrete in pairs as a form and glide path (1,2) for smoothing and vibrating machines and in such a way that the cavity formed is filled (7) with material which has a lower E-modulus than concrete. The procedure also describes a method when two rails are secured to another by means of an adhesive. The rails (11,12) are designed to form a tongue and groove (9,10) between the rail concerned and the associated concrete slab (3,4). Holes are made for dowels (6,8) which extend from one slab to the other through the joint element and thus prevent edge raising from occuring later on.

Abstract: A transverse concrete pavement joint cell including a pair of plastic walls abutting the edges of the concrete joints. A seamless drainage gutter extends longitudinally between said plastic walls to the edges of the pavement. Blocks of compressible elastomers between said plastic walls absorb expansion of the concrete. The cell includes a base and stabilizing ties secured to a conventional dowel bar assembly.

Abstract: A fire resistant seal for gaps between structural members is disclosed. A preformed elongate strip is provided of resilient silicone foam material and has a generally Y-shaped cross section. The width of the base of the Y is approximately equal to but no less than the width of the gap, and each of the legs of the Y have a width equal to one-half that of the base. The portion of the strip where the legs meet the base has a width in excess of that of the base alone.

Abstract: An expansion and contraction joint assembly for use with installations of tile, slate or marble floors or the like is disclosed. The joint assembly is comprised generally of a base or lower component, a core receiving or upper component, and a cap component. The base component is placed on the floor or concrete slab and the core or upper component is inserted into the base and positioned with its upper end flush with the surface of the floor by the cap. A suitable core material is placed into the upper component to provide a joint assembly which compensates for expansion or contraction of the floor or setting bed thereby eliminating buckling and cracking of the floor.

Abstract: Gaps or seams between adjacent modular refractory fiber blanket insulation modules are filled by inserting therein strips of refractory fiber blanket. The strips are bent into a U-shape over a blade or plate and then inserted between two spreader members, called lubricators, to overcome the tendency of the blanket in the strip to adhere to the blanket in the module.

Abstract: An expansion joint lock for transmitting forces between structural members that contract as they are cooled down to operating temperatures. A piston member mounted to one structural member is slidingly engaged with a chamber in a reception member which is mounted to a second structural member. The remaining space in the chamber is filled with a liquid which freezes at a temperature somewhat above the operating temperature of the structure, allowing forces to be transmitted between the structural members by the frozen liquid.