Permeable Road Surface With Movable Spheres
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing asphalt road surfaces suffer from damage due to weight loads and weather influences, leading to issues like ruts, cracks, and aquaplaning, and are not effective in minimizing dust and dirt contact with load-bearing bodies.
Innovation Solution
A road surfacing system with a permeable main layer that absorbs compressive and shear forces and a drainage layer that allows liquids and gases to flow, featuring ball elements made of plastic or metal without aggregates, which provides flexibility and prevents accumulation of liquids and gases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a traditional inflexible asphalt road surface is used, then it provides structural strength, but it causes permanent damage like ruts, cracks, and holes under weight load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by replacing the static, inflexible asphalt structure with a dynamic system of movable spherical elements. These elements can shift and rearrange themselves under load, allowing the road surface to adapt dynamically to weight forces rather than resisting them rigidly, thereby preventing permanent deformation while maintaining strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of road surface flexibility by transitioning from a rigid asphalt matrix to a system of discrete movable spheres. This parameter change allows the surface to deform elastically under load and return to its original state, eliminating the permanent damage characteristic of traditional inflexible surfaces.
2Strength
If a traditional inflexible road pavement is used, then it provides load-bearing capacity, but it causes weather-related dangers like aquaplaning and freezing water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs porous materials by creating a road surface structure with inherent voids and channels between the spherical elements. This porous configuration allows water and gases to permeate through the surface rather than accumulating, preventing aquaplaning and reducing the risk of freezing water pockets that could cause black ice conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful accumulation of water and gases from the road surface by incorporating a drainage layer beneath the spherical element structure. This separation removes the problematic fluid accumulation away from the load-bearing surface, eliminating weather-related hazards while preserving load-bearing capacity.
3Area of stationary object
If a traditional road surface is used, then it provides coverage, but it accumulates dust and dirt on the contact surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by designing a surface structure where the movable spherical elements automatically clean themselves through their motion. As vehicles pass over the road, the spheres shift and roll, creating a self-cleaning effect that prevents dust and dirt accumulation on the contact surface, thereby maintaining cleanliness without external intervention.
4Stability of the object's composition
If aggregates are used in the road surface, then it provides structural stability, but it creates a rigid structure that cannot absorb forces flexibly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials by combining spherical elements made of different materials (such as rubber, plastic, or metal) with varying properties. This composite approach allows optimization of both structural stability and flexibility, as different spherical materials can be selected to balance strength requirements with the ability to deform and absorb forces elastically.
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
The system minimizes damage from weight and weather loads, maintains a clean contact surface, and prevents accumulation of liquids and gases, ensuring effective drainage and frost protection, thus reducing irreversible and reversible damage.
Implementation Method 1
a drainage layer which is arranged below the main layer, directly or indirectly, and through which liquids and gases can flow
Implementation Method 2
the drainage layer may also be a frost protection layer which has a thermal insulation effect on the layers arranged thereon
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a road surfacing system, in particular an asphalt road, which comprises at least one main layer which is at least partially and at least in places permeable to liquids and gases for absorbing compressive and shear forces generated on the main layer by load bodies, for example vehicles, travelling and/or standing on the main layer, wherein the main layer is arranged on a drainage layer through which liquids and/or gases can flow, and further where-in the drainage layer is again arranged on top of a drainage layer which is arranged and intended to at least partially drain liquids from the road surfacing system passing through the main and drainage layers, characterized in that the main layer is substantially free from aggregates and instead is formed with adhering ball elements formed with a plastic and/or a metal.