Modular Road Deck Assembly for Fast Drainage and Installation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing road construction methods rely heavily on the permeability of road decks for rainwater management, leading to water accumulation and safety hazards, and require complex assembly processes with significant traffic disruption.

Innovation Solution

A system of connectable plastic support structures and road deck elements that facilitate rapid assembly, allowing rainwater to flow away efficiently through tunnels formed between the road decks and base plates, with integrated water management features, reducing reliance on deck permeability and enabling easy maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional construction methods are used, then labor intensity is high and construction time is long, but construction quality and safety cannot be sufficiently ensured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconstruction speedVSAvoidconstruction system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The construction system is divided into multiple modular components including pre-fabricated road sections, separate utility installations, and modular signage structures. Each module can be independently manufactured and then assembled, enabling parallel construction activities and reducing overall construction time while maintaining quality through standardized modular designs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Road sections, utility infrastructure, and signage are pre-fabricated off-site before final assembly. This preliminary preparation allows for quality control in controlled manufacturing environments and enables concurrent construction activities, significantly reducing on-site construction time and labor intensity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If conventional construction methods are used, then construction cost is controlled, but construction quality and safety cannot be sufficiently ensured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconstruction qualityVSAvoidconstruction system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates real-time monitoring and feedback mechanisms during construction to ensure quality standards are met. Quality control inspections and safety monitoring provide continuous feedback that allows for immediate corrections, ensuring high construction quality and safety while managing costs through efficient processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of time

If road construction is completed quickly, then construction time is reduced, but construction quality may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconstruction timeVSAvoidroad construction precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

By pre-fabricating road sections and infrastructure components in controlled manufacturing environments, the system achieves high precision construction quality before final assembly. This preliminary action eliminates the need for time-consuming on-site construction while maintaining or improving construction precision through standardized manufacturing processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Dividing the construction project into modular pre-fabricated sections allows each component to be manufactured with high precision independently, then assembled quickly on-site. This segmentation enables parallel processing of multiple sections, reducing total construction time while maintaining high quality through standardized modular designs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3830353B1A system and a method for building a road
Publication Date: 2026.04.29 PR LICENSING BV
  • EP3830353B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3830353B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3830353B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A system for assembling a road comprises a plurality of plastic support structures and a plurality of road deck elements. Each of the support structures comprises a base plate and at least one column extending, or for extending, upwardly from the base plate for supporting at least partly one of the road deck elements. Each of the road deck elements is configured such that in an assembled and as road useable condition of the system rainwater predominantly flows away over the road to one or more positions next to the road, and/or to a slit-sized interruption of the road across the road.