Pavement Reinforcement Fabric with Protruding Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing road reinforcement fabrics face adhesion issues due to the presence of double carrier layers in overlapping zones, leading to poor adhesion of the tack coat, which affects the performance and longevity of the pavement.
Innovation Solution
A fabric design with a carrier width smaller than the fabric width, featuring discrete reinforcement elements that protrude beyond the carrier, allowing for single-layer adhesion in overlapping zones and utilizing a non-woven carrier for improved penetration of the tack coat, along with color markings for proper alignment during installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the carrier width is equal to or about equal to the fabric width, then the fabric provides complete coverage, but double carrier layers are present in overlapping zones causing poor adhesion of the tack coat
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric is segmented into distinct zones: a central carrier region and lateral edge regions without carrier. This segmentation allows the overlapping zones to have single-layer carrier structure, enabling proper tack coat adhesion while maintaining complete road coverage through the distributed reinforcement elements.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the fabric are assigned different functions: the central carrier region provides structural support and adhesion, while the lateral edge regions provide reinforcement element continuity without creating double-layer adhesion problems. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between coverage and adhesion quality.
2Stress or pressure
If reinforcement elements are closely spaced, then stress distribution is improved, but manufacturing complexity and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement elements are extracted from the carrier structure and allowed to protrude laterally beyond the carrier edges. This extraction enables the use of spaced-apart reinforcement elements (5-90 mm spacing) that provide adequate stress distribution without requiring dense spacing, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and material usage while maintaining structural performance.
3Reliability
If the carrier width is reduced, then adhesion in overlapping zones is improved, but the fabric coverage area decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The solution moves the reinforcement function from the vertical dimension (carrier layer) to the lateral dimension (protruding elements). By allowing reinforcement elements to extend beyond the carrier width, the fabric achieves both reduced carrier width (improving adhesion) and complete coverage (through protruding elements that bridge gaps between adjacent fabrics).
Data Source
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AI summary
A fabric (10, 20, 30) adapted for the reinforcement of constructions such as of roads or pavements has a fabric width W2 in a transverse direction. The fabric (10, 20, 30) comprises a carrier (12, 22, 32). The fabric further comprises reinforcement elements (14, 24', 24", 34) extending over the fabric width and being fixed or bound to the carrier (12, 22, 32). The carrier (12, 22, 32) has a carrier width W1 that is smaller than the fabric width W2 so that the reinforcement elements (14, 24', 24", 34) protrude out of the carrier (12, 22, 32). The advantage is that when two neighbouring fabrics (40, 44) overlap, it is possible to avoid a double layer of carriers.