AU541792B2 - Method to distribute wear from passing vehicles to a road surface - Google Patents

Description

Method to distribute wear from passing vehicles to a road surface

The present invention relates to a method for distributing wear from passing vehicles to a road surface. Due to the wear imposed on a road surface from vehicles travelling along same, mainly concave wheel tracks are formed in each lane, spaced apart at a distance basically corresponding to the wheel-base of common types of vehicles. Such wear is often accentuated during the winter, when a large number of vehicles have studded tyres fitted, and the wheel tracks in the road surface are particularly dangerous during spring, when melting snow and rain fill the wheel tracks with water, since a water surfing action might occur when a vehicle is travelling at high speed with the wheels in said tracks. The damage caused to the road surface by passing vehicles has previously been regarded as unavoidable, and road surfaces with a high traffic intensity have been re-asphalted with short intervals of time, which has resulted in high road maintenance costs, and also in reductions of the traffic volume when such work is being carried out, since certain lanes or road sections must be closed for traffic while the maintenance work takes place. Such work also involves obvious risks for accidents, involving the maintenance staff performing the necessary re-asphalting operation. Accordingly, it would be extremely desirable to distribute the wear more evenly over the road surface, partly in order to reduce the maintenance costs, but also to reduce the risk for accidents caused by water surfing, since the risk for surfing is enlarged when deep wheel tracks exist in a road surface.

The object of the present invention is to disclose a method, whereby wear is more evenly distributed over a road surface, thus reducing the risk for water surfing, as well as prolonging the interval of time between each re-aspalting operation, thereby considerably reducing the maintenance costs. A further advantage is, that the prolonged interval of time between each maintenance operation also results in the possibility to maintain a larger traffic volume for longer periods of time.

The method according to the present invention is mainly characterised in that marks with a predetermined configuration are painted on the road surface, spaced apart from each other and extending in the direction of the road, said marks preferably being arranged in a different colour to existing road marking lines and located adjacent but in a moved side relationship to existing wheel tracks formed by passing vehicles in the road surface, whereafter vehicles travelling along the road being informed to attempt to pass over the marks applied to the road surface by the wheel located most adjacent to the applied marks, and that new marks are applied when the first applied marks have been basically worn away, the new marks being further moved in a side relationship to the marks first applied.

The method according to the present invention is more fully described below, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Fig. 1 shows a view from above of a road surface, having one lane for travel in each direction, arranged with marks according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows a view of a road corresponding to Fig. 1 having marks applied according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numerals 1, 1' denominate two lanes in a road, intended to faciliate single lane traffic in two opposed directions. The road surface is in a previously known manner arranged with a road centre line 2, which separates the two lanes 1, 1' from each other.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 1 is a preferred embodiment, according to which a dot or line mark 3, 3' is applied in each lane, and this is assumed to the first marks applied to the road surface in each lane 1, 1'. Said first marks 3, 3' are located in such a way, that a vehicle having a first direction of travel, denominated A, takes up a position adjacent to the outside edge of the road, when the vehicle travels in the lane 1 in such a way, that the left wheels of the vehicle pass over the marks 3 Said vehicle is thus located at a rather long distance from the centre line 2, which separates the lanes 1, 1' from each other. In the other lane 1', having a direction of travel denominated B, the marks 3' are located more adjacently to the centre line markings 2, which causes a vehicle travelling in the second lane I' with left wheels of the vehicle arranged to pass over the marks 3' to take up a more ajacent location to the centre line 2. Vehicles travelling in both lanes 1, 1' are thus move sideways in relation to the centre line 2, but since they are moved in the same direction, the internal distance between the vehicles remains unchanged in comparison to two vehicles, travelling in the centre of each lane 1, 1'.

After a certain time, the marks 3, 3' are mainly removed due to the wear imposed by passing vehicles, and this period of time indicates when it would be preferable to move the traffic, in order to avoid formation of deep wheel tracks in the road surface. Accordingly, new marks are now applied, denominated 4, 4'. This second set of marks 4, 4' are moved sideways in relation to the previously applied marks 3, 3' in such a way, that vehicles travelling in direction A now travel at a larger distance from the road side, whereas vehicles travelling in direction B now are located more adjacent to the road side in their lane 1', provided that the vehicles continue to travel in the previously disclosed fashion also with regard to the marks 4, 4'.

As previously mentioned, new marks are preferably applied in a col ourbejns different to previously used marks, but there are also other methods to accomplish distinction between new and earlier marks, by arranging the marks with a different configuration, e.g. as symbols. Combinations of different colours and symbols may also be used in order to accomplish difference between earlier and later applied marks, e.g. by utilizing a certain colour for spring, a different colour for summer, or in any other desired fashion.

A third set of marks, denominated 5, 5', are also shown in Fig. 1, intended to be applied when the second set of marks 4, 4' have been removed by wear. Said third set of marks 5 , 5' are futfther moved in relation to the first set of marks 3, 3', whereby vehicles travelling in direction A now are located adjacent to the centre line 2, whereas vehicles travelling in direction B are located at a rather large distance from said centre line 2.

Fig. 2 relates to a second embodiment, according to which marks 3, 3', 4, 4', 5, 5' are painted in a manner according to the embodiment disclosed with reference to Fig. 1, but instead of painting only one line of spaced marks 3, 3', 4, 4', 5, 5' in each lane 1, 1', two lines of marks are painted in each lane 1, 1', spaced apart from each other at a distance mainly corresponding to the wheel-base of the type of vehicles most commonly used. The drivers of the vehicles are in this case instructed to attempt to pass over the marks 3, 3', 4, 4', 5, 5' with all wheels of the vehicle, and the marks 3, 3', 4, 4', 5, 5' are applied to the road surface successively, i.e. the marks 3, 3' are first applied, and when these are mainly worn off, marks 4, 4' are applied, and finally, marks designated 5, 5' are applied.

Obviously, the method according to the present invention can only be utilized provided that an information campaign is used to inform the drivers of the object of the marks, and how these are intended to reduce the wear on the road surface and the risk for accidents due to water surfing. If only 50 - 70% of the drivers follow these instructions a considerably longer interval of time elapses between the maintenance operations, since obviously even such low percentage figures considerably distribute the wear imposed to the road surface.

The possiblity to vary the marks applied to the road surface, e.g. by using symbols in different shape and/or colour, makes it also possible to apply new marks with certain intervals of time, by using a uniform symbol /colour for a certain geographical area. Furthermore, the marks applied can obviously have a configuration resembling certain company trade marks or marks advertising certain clubs or associations, and this would make it possible for road maintenance departments to charge parties interested in using the road surface for advertising purposes, and such charges would cover the costs for applying the marks to the road surface.

The method according to the present invention can thus be varied in a number of ways, and the described embodiments only serve as examples of embodiments within the scope of the inventive thought and the following claims.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. Method to distribute wear from passing vehicles to a road surface, characteristic of, that in each lane (1, 1') of a road surface are applied individua-1 marks (3, 3', 4, 4', 5, 5'), extending in a spaced relationship to each other in the direction of the road and spaced transversely in relation to the direction of the road from each other at a distance mainly corresponding to the width of existing lanes (1, 1'), vehicles travelling along the road being encouraged to locate same in such a relationship to the applied marks (3, 3', 4, 4', 5, 5') that the wheels most adjacent to the.,marks (3, 3', 4, 4', 5, 5') pass over same, and that new marks (3, 3', 4, 4', 5, 5'] are applied in a further tranversely moved relationship to earlier applied marks (3, 3', 4, 4', 5, 5') when the earlier applied marks (3, 3', 4, 4', 5, 5'} are mainly removed due to wear from passing vehicles.

2. Method according to claim 1, characteristic of, that the marks (3, 3', 4, 4', 5, 5'} are applied in each lane (1, 1') as a line of from

^'each other spaced marks (3, 3', 4, 4', 5, 5'), located in each lane in such a way, that the wheels on one side of passing vehicles travel over the applied marks (3, 3', 4, 4', 5, 5').

3. Method according to claim I, characteristic of, that the marks (3, 3', 4, 4', 5, 5') are applied in each lane (1, 1') as two lines of from each other spaced marks (3, 3', 4, 4', 5, 5') with an internal distance mainly corresponding to the wheel-base of common types of vehicles.

4. Method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characteristic of, that the marks (3, 3', 4, 4', 5, 5') at successively following application . operations have a different configuration and/or colour in relation to previously applied marks (3, 3', 4, 4', 5, 5' ) .

5. Method according to claim 4, characteristic of, that the applied marks (3, 3', 4, 4', 5, 5') consist of symbols including letters, numerals or devices.

6. Method according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, characteristic of, that the marks are applied by means of painting to the road, preferably using a colour having florescent or reflective properties.