Flowable Concrete Microtrench Fill for Rapid Roadway Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for trenching and laying cables or ducts are not continuous, requiring manual removal and disposal of spoil, which is time-consuming and costly, and lack the ability to recycle materials, leading to inefficiencies in installing optical fiber networks.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a multifunctional reel carrier and spoil material handling container device that uses vacuum systems to continuously remove and potentially recycle spoil, combined with a flowable concrete-based fill made from cement, polymer bonding agent, aggregate, and water to fill and seal microtrenches, allowing for continuous filling and sealing of microtrenches to match the roadway color and provide adhesion, thus reducing downtime and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional trenching and cable laying methods are used, then the cable can be installed in the trench, but the process is discontinuous and requires manual removal and disposal of spoil, which is time-consuming and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions (trenching, cable laying, spoil removal, and filling) into a single continuous operation using one vehicle. The vacuum system removes spoil during trenching, and the fill device simultaneously or subsequently fills the trench with flowable concrete, eliminating the need for separate spoil removal and filling operations that would cause downtime.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous operation by removing spoil via vacuum during the trenching process itself, rather than stopping to remove spoil manually. The fill device then continuously fills the trench as the vehicle moves forward, ensuring no interruption in the cable installation process and maximizing productivity.
2Ease of operation
If conventional vacuum trailers are used to remove spoil, then the spoil can be removed from the trench, but large industrial vacuum trailers must be used and many hours are wasted by having to dump the spoil
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle is designed with multi-functionality, serving as both a trencher and a fill device. The fill device uses flowable concrete that can be pumped directly into the trench, eliminating the need for separate spoil dumping operations. The system recycles or repurposes the excavated material where possible, reducing waste disposal time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers and recycles the excavated spoil material by using it as aggregate in the flowable concrete fill mixture. This eliminates the need to transport and dump the spoil separately, as the material is immediately reused in the filling process, saving significant time and reducing disposal costs.
3Productivity
If the microtrench is filled and sealed quickly, then the roadway can be returned to its original state faster, but the fill material must set rapidly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flowable concrete with modified parameters including rapid-setting cement and polymer bonding agents that reduce the final set time to 2 hours or less. The concrete mix is specifically formulated with admixtures that accelerate setting while maintaining flowability during application, enabling rapid filling and sealing operations that quickly restore the roadway.
Solution Approach 2:
The fill material is a composite mixture of rapid-setting cement, polymer bonding agents, colorants, and aggregate. This composite formulation provides both rapid setting properties and strong adhesion to the existing roadway, allowing the trench to be sealed quickly while ensuring durable restoration of the road surface.
4Reliability
If the fill material adheres strongly to the roadway, then the microtrench is sealed against water infiltration, but the polymer bonding agent is required which complicates the mix
Solution Approach 1:
The fill material uses a composite mixture where polymer bonding agents are integrated into the concrete formulation. These polymers provide waterproofing and adhesion properties that seal the microtrench against water infiltration. The polymer-concrete composite maintains structural integrity while providing the necessary seal, with the complexity managed through pre-formulated mix designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The concrete mix is formulated with specific polymer bonding agents and admixtures that modify the material properties to provide both adhesion and waterproofing. The polymer content and type are optimized to achieve reliable sealing against water infiltration while maintaining workability and setting characteristics suitable for rapid application.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables faster and more cost-effective installation of optical fiber networks by allowing continuous filling and sealing of microtrenches in a single pass, significantly reducing disruption and achieving higher installation rates compared to conventional methods.
Implementation Method 1
the polymer bonding agent provides adhesion to the existing roadway to seal the microtrench against water infiltration
Implementation Method 2
the flowable concrete-based fill is configured to flow into the microtrench from a fill device
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a microtrench fill comprising cement, a polymer, and a colorant. Also provided is a method of using the microtrench fill to fill a microtrench in a roadway.