US 2003.0068.

199A1
(19) United States
(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2003/0068.199 A1
Ulislam et al. (43) Pub. Date: Apr. 10, 2003
(54) SYSTEM FOR ANCHORING CONCRETE Related U.S. Application Data
SAFETY BARRIERS ON BRIDGES AND
ROADS (60) Provisional application No. 60/327,309, filed on Oct.
9, 2001.
(76) Inventors: Mohammed A. Ulislam, Neshanic
Station, NJ (US); Dominic J. Publication Classification
Reggimenti, Tronton, NJ (US) (51) Int. Cl. .................................................. E01F 13/00
Correspondence Address: (52) U.S. Cl. .................................................................. 404/6
Richard C. Litman (57) ABSTRACT
LITMAN LAW OFFICES, LTD.
P.O. Box 15035 A System for anchoring concrete Safety barriers on bridges
Arlington, VA 22215 (US) and roads, can be cast in place or pre-cast by manufacturers.
However, in the prior art, concrete in the pocket of the
concrete safety barriers in which bolts attach the barrier to
(21) Appl. No.: 10/262,951 the bridge deck has a tendency to fail when excessive loads
are applied. The present invention Solves this problem by
lining the pocket with a Steel plate reinforced by Shear Studs
(22) Filed: Oct. 3, 2002 or welded Steel rods in a number of different configurations.

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US 2003/0068.199 A1
SYSTEM FOR ANCHORING CONCRETE SAFETY
BARRIERS ON BRIDGES AND ROADS
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
APPLICATION
0001) This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provi
sional Patent Application Serial No. 60/327,309, filed Oct. 9,
2001.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
0002) 1. Field of the Invention
0003. The present invention relates to an improved sys
tem for anchoring concrete Safety barriers on bridges or
roads.
0004 2. Description of Related Art
0005 Safety barriers on bridges and roadways are an
essential part of basic road and highway construction. These
barriers are frequently used to Separate Sections of an area
and to prevent drivers from dangerous ledges. These Safety
barriers are made of various materials, come in a variety of
shapes and sizes and are attached to the road or bridge using
various methods. This is reflected in the related art.
0006 U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,009 issued on Sep. 4, 1990 to
Roger C. Kellison, describes narrow Silica fume concrete
road barriers having reflector-bearing caps facing outward
from an anchor System placed in a Series of recesses formed
on one side of the barrier in the shoulder. The anchor rod is
placed in the assumed precast vertical mounting holes in the
shoulder with a plate or washer and are placed into drilled
holes in the road Surface. A hardening liquid Securing agent
is poured into the drilled holes. The barriers are distinguish
able for not recognizing the problem of deteriorating fas
teners and emphasizing the mounting of reflectors on one
side of the barrier.
0007 U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,635 issued on Jul. 29, 1997 to
Gordon A. Nagle, describes a concrete barrier with a special
reinforcement basket of Steel rebar for reinforcing concrete
barriers having toe regions of increased Strength. Above the
toe regions on one or both Sides is a shoulder region with
windows or gaps between the rebar providing uninterrupted
passage of holes in the concrete for anchor bolts angled
Vertically. The concrete road barrier is precast in a plant and
brought to a Site and anchored. Another barrier is a median
barrier shown in croSS-Section as a truncated triangle with
anchor pockets alternating on opposite Sides, wherein each
pocket contains an anchor pocket having bolt holes angled
from both base regions to the center line and the floor of the
parapet.
0008 U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,336 issued on Aug. 12, 1986 to
Robert A. Slaw, Sr., describes a union for concrete units
intended to be used to couple a precast concrete parapet to
a Substantially flat concrete roadway Surface. The precast
concrete member has a partial inwardly flaring longitudinal
groove and Sequential coupling rods which extend within the
groove. U-shaped rods also extend from the deck within the
groove Sequentially. A locking bar is inserted longitudinally
through the groove in locking relationship with the coupling
rods and the U-shaped deck rods. Grout is then injected
throughout the longitudinal groove and allowed to harden,
Apr. 10, 2003
thus providing a Sealed and locked joint. The Structure also
requires a longitudinal bottom groove and numerous inter
locking rods.
0009 U.S. Pat. No. 5,882,140 issued on Mar. 16, 1999 to
Leo J. Yodock, Jr. et al., describes a barrier device compris
ing a resilient plastic cover with interconnected walls to be
filled with a ballast material Such as water, sand, or rubber.
The Symmetrical device has Stabilizer Sections in the inter
mediate Section on both Sides for anchoring with Stakes
having heads. The barrier device is distinguishable for being
limited to plastic covers fillable with the various materials.
0010 U.S. Design Patent No. 385,362 issued on Oct. 21,
1997 to Joseph R. Rossetti, describes a portable modular
fluid-fillable plastic barrier comprising a Substantially rect
angular form having four blind grooves on the right Side,
four inclined grooves on the left Side, a cylindrical lug on
one end, a centered groove on the opposite end, three holes
on top, a longitudinal groove interSecting two orthogonal
grooves, an elongated key on one end face and a cooperating
key-way on the opposite end face for joining with another
keyed barrier.
0011 U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,010 issued on Apr. 28, 1987 to
Bengt O. Almer et al., describes the joining of two improved
concrete blocks intended to Serve as a roadway defining
member in the shape of an elongate horizontal concrete body
having an elongated vertical triangular cross-sectional shape
with one bottom face and two symmetrical side faces. The
blocks have precast a vertical confining groove on both ends
and two pairs of U-shaped reinforcement iron hooks with
upper threaded pins and lower angular pins for combining
with a steel tube inserted into the circular throughbore
formed by the joined grooves. A Steel retaining plate is
placed on top in the precast depression and bolted down on
the threaded pins. The joining System is distinguishable for
requiring embedded hooks and a vertical Steel tube connec
tor.
0012 U.S. Pat. No. 4,971.475 issued on Nov. 20, 1990 to
Bertin Castonguay et al., describes a precast curb system
comprising concrete cubes having a vertical fastening pro
jection with a vertical groove on their rear Surfaces for
anchoring with construction nails. The concrete Substrate is
drilled to insert the anchor nails. The curb system is distin
guishable for anchoring with nails.
0013 U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,786 issued on Jul. 21, 1992 to
Randall House et al., describes a pre-cast traffic barrier
comprising a profiled and reinforced concrete block having
a bottom Surface with a longitudinal channel for installing
on a concrete retaining wall embedded in a roadway Surface.
The irregularly shaped barrier in cross-section has U-shaped
anchoring bars from the retaining wall to form an Oval
key-way which receives a locking bar. Grout is injected
throughout the channel to provide a Sealed and locked joint.
The traffic barrier is distinguishable for utilizing an embed
ded retaining wall.
0014 U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,884 issued on Sep. 6, 1991 to
Marino Girotti, describes a concrete roadway traffic barrier
incorporating coupling devices at each end which are mating
troughs and T-shaped members formed during the casting
process. The barrier is distinguishable for lacking any fas
tening means to the roadway.
0.015 U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,665 issued on Nov. 11, 1997 to
M. Carl Lembo, describes a concrete roadway barrier
US 2003/0068.199 A1
formed from half-sections placed back to back to form
modules and connected by horizontal bolts. A cable for each
module extends through the aligned axial passages of each
half-section to connect the half-sections together with a
polyvinyl chloride shock absorbing means. The cable is held
at intervals with a cable tie-down arm having a Side opening
for the cable and a cable anchor, which has a U-bolt
Supporting a cylindrical base placed in the concrete slab. The
barrier is distinguishable for having a significantly different
fastening means to the roadway.
0016 U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,757 issued on Mar. 22, 1994 to
Don L. Ivey et al., describes a Safety end barrier for concrete
road barriers comprising a low profile block having a thicker
end with a recessed trough to allow two bolts to connect
horizontally to the end of another low profile barrier. The
barrier decreases in height to the tip with Spaced apertures to
be optionally staked down with steel rods or dowels. The
barrier is distinguished for its unusual shape and Vertical
anchoring means.
0017 U.K. Patent Application No. 2 237 313 A granted
on May 1, 1991 granted by William M. Morgan, describes
a modular concrete traffic barrier unit comprising a Sym
metrical croSS-Section containing Steel reinforcement means
and vertical end slots for linking with a removable flat
rectangular post. Reflectors and a light are placed on the
sides of the barrier unit. The barrier unit is distinguishable
for requiring posts and lacking attachment features to the
ground.
0018 Japan Patent Application No. 3-267421 granted on
Nov. 28, 1991 for Tokusaburo Ishimoto et al., describes the
connection of precast concrete barriers by fasteners in the
indented regions on the top wings and in the bottom feet.
The fastening Structure is distinguishable for being limited
to combining concrete barriers end to end.
0.019 Japan Patent Application No. 4-289328 granted on
Oct. 14, 1992 for Nobuyuki Kuroyanagi, describes the
method of installing vertical installation concrete founda
tions by placing a water String in the precast top grooves of
each concrete block. The disclosure is distinguishable in
lacking disclosure as to the anchoring of the concrete
foundation blocks.
0020. Although each of the described patents outline
important and novel features of various types of bridge and
road barriers, the concrete barriers outlined in U.S. Pat. No.
5,651,635 issued to Nagle are particularly useful. Unfortu
nately, the toe region of the Nagle barrier is prone to wear
as the barrier is exposed to increasing loads. Such a Solution
to this problem would improve the Naglel barrier substan
tially and result in a barrier that would be more useful for
people in the road and highway construction field.
0021 None of the above inventions and patents, taken
either Singly or in combination, is seen to describe the
instant invention as claimed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
0022. The invention is an improved system for anchoring
concrete Safety barriers on bridges and roads. These concrete
barriers can be placed between the Sections and at the ends
of a protected bridge and can be or pre-cast by manufactur
ers. These concrete Safety barriers have pockets in which
bolts extend through to attach the concrete barrier to the
Apr. 10, 2003
bridge or road Surface. Unfortunately, these pockets have a
tendency to fail when loads are applied. The present inven
tion Solves this problem by lining the pockets with a Steel
plate reinforced by shear metal studs or welded steel rods for
accommodating concrete barriers with a variety of different
configurations.
0023. Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention
to provide an improved System for anchoring concrete Safety
barriers on bridges and roads.
0024. It is another object of the invention to provide an
improved System for increasing the Strength of concrete
Safety barriers being attached to bridges and roads.
0025. It is a further object of the invention to provide an
anchoring System for a concrete barrier having a Steel plate
lining the pocket of a concrete barrier with Shear Studs or
welded Steel rods in a variety of Specific configurations.
0026. It is an object of the invention to provide improved
elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the
purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and
fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
0027. These and other objects of the present invention
will become readily apparent upon further review of the
following Specification and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
0028 FIG. 1 is an overhead perspective view of a one
sided System for anchoring Single slope concrete Safety
barriers on bridges or road Surfaces.
0029 FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of an anchoring
System for anchoring Single slope concrete Safety barriers on
bridges or road Surfaces.
0030 FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a single slope
concrete Safety barrier showing pre-cast pockets with a
throughbore that will enter the bridge or road Surface at an
acute angle.
0031 FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view of
a single slope concrete Safety barrier with a throughbore and
a Steel anchor rod that will enter the bridge or road Surface
at an acute angle.
0032 FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a safety
shaped concrete Safety barrier with a throughbore and a Steel
anchor rod that will enter a bridge at a 90 degree angle and
go through the bridge and be Secured to the bridge with a
washer and a hexagonal nut.
0033 FIG. 6 is a top plan view of an anchoring system
for Safety shaped concrete Safety barriers showing the
anchors arranged in a Staggered configuration.
0034 FIG. 7 is a partially sectioned elevational view of
a single sloped concrete Safety barrier with a throughbore
and Steel anchor rod that will enter the bridge or road Surface
at a 90 degree angle.
0035 FIG. 8 is a top plan view of single sloped concrete
Safety barriers showing the anchors arranged in a Staggered
configuration.
0036 FIG. 9 is a combined partially sectioned eleva
tional view of a common median concrete Safety barrier with
throughbores and Steel anchors that will enter the bridge or
US 2003/0068.199 A1
the road Surface at an acute angle on both Sides of the
common median concrete Safety barrier.
0037 Similar reference characters denote corresponding
features consistently throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
0.038. The present invention is directed to a system for
anchoring concrete Safety barriers used on bridge and road
Surfaces that address the problem of wear and tear from the
present anchoring system outlined in U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,
635 issued to Nagle.
0039. As shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, a first embodi
ment and configuration of a System for anchoring concrete
Safety barriers used on bridge and road Surfaces are com
prised of Single sloped concrete Safety barriers 10 having a
crown portion 12, a vertical rear face portion 14, a sloping
front face portion 16, and a base portion 18 (FIG.2) having
a flat bottom 20 with a longitudinal groove 22 (FIG. 3).
FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 depict a single slope concrete safety
barrier 10 which can go onto a bridge or road surface with
throughbores 34 and steel anchor rods 36 inclined (at an
acute angle) to the bridge or road Surface. A plurality of
regularly Spaced precast indentations or pockets 24 on the
sloping front face portion 16 have horizontal rectangular
shelves 26. The horizontal rectangular shelves 26 are trun
cated cylindrical shapes cut by the Sloping front face portion
16. A rectangular metal plate 28 which is fitted and is
commensurate in size and shape with each of the horizontal
rectangular shelves 26, has a centered aperture 30 and a pair
of welded metal shear Studs 32 on opposite Sides positioned
on the horizontal rectangular shelves 26 that are precast in
this position along with the throughbore 34 (FIG. 4).
0040. At the bridge or road surface site, the single sloped
concrete Safety barriers 10 are positioned Such that holes are
drilled in the bridge or road Surface, with the same slope and
angle as the throughbores 34. A Steel anchor rod 36, having
a threaded or integral hexagonal nut 38 and washer 40, is
positioned in the centered aperture 30 of the rectangular
metal plate 28 and extends downwards and beyond the flat
bottom 20 of the single sloped concrete safety barrier 10 to
be inserted into a drilled hole in the surface of the bridge or
road. Epoxy cement 52 (FIG. 5) is placed in the through
bores 34 and in the drilled holes in the bridge or road
Surface. This anchoring System has been found to be a most
durable and Stable positioning of Single Sloped concrete
safety barriers 10.
0041 Since concrete safety barriers in general, are made
in different configurations and different cross-sectional
shapes, the actual placement of the Steel anchor rod 36 will
vary at the footing of each Specific concrete Safety barrier.
However, the precast pockets 24 for the Single sloped
concrete Safety barriers 10 are essentially uniform in shape
and construction and are formed during pre-casting of the
Single sloped concrete Safety barriers 10, along with the
rectangular metal plate 28, Steel anchor rod 36 and its pair
of metal sheer studs 32. However, the steel anchor rod 36 is
inserted at the placement site when holes must be drilled into
the bridge or road Surface in alignment with the slope and
angle of the steel anchor rod 36. In this embodiment of the
invention, an acute angle is formed at the placement Site
where respective holes are drilled into the bridge or road
Apr. 10, 2003
Surface. In an additional embodiment, a 90 degree angle is
formed with a throughbore 34 and a steel anchor rod 36
vertical to the bridge or road surface. This additional
embodiment is illustrated and discussed in greater detail in
FIG. 7.
0042. According to FIGS. 5 and 6, a safety shaped
concrete Safety barrier 42 is depicted with multiple sloping
Sides 44 and precast pockets 46 alternating on opposite
SideS. This is distinguished from a single sloped concrete
safety barrier 10 previously discussed. In FIG. 5, a bridge
surface 48 is illustrated with a throughbore 50 and a steel
anchor rod 36 vertical (at a 90 degree angle) to the bridge,
which is anchored by a rectangular metal plate 28, a pair of
metal shear Studs 32 and is precast in the Safety shaped
concrete safety barrier 42. In this embodiment, the anchor
rod 36 has another hexagonal nut 38 and washer 40 threaded
onto the bottom end to secure to the bridge surface 48. The
mating Surfaces of the Safety shaped concrete Safety barrier
42 and the bridge surface 48 along with the spaces between
the steel anchor rod 36 and the throughbores 50 in the safety
shaped concrete safety barrier 42 and the bridge surface 48
are also filled with epoxy cement 52 for greater Security.
This embodiment is similar to the concrete safety barrier
depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,635 issued to Nagle, with the
throughbore 50 of the safety shaped concrete safety barrier
42 in this application also going vertically Straight down at
a right angle into the bridge or road Surface 48.
0043 FIG. 7 depicts another embodiment and configu
ration of a single sloped concrete safety barrier 10 with
throughbores 34 and steel anchor rods 36 vertical (at a 90
degree angle) to the bridge or road Surface. Like the first
embodiment of the single sloped concrete safety barrier 10,
epoxy cement 52 is also placed in the throughbores 50 and
on the Steel anchor rods 36 on the bridge or road Surface. AS
depicted in FIG. 8, the single sloped concrete safety barriers
10 show vertically arranged and alternating anchor rods 56
on opposite planar sides 58 with pockets 60 having a
different configuration due to the planar Sides of the Single
sloped concrete safety barrier 10.
0044 FIG. 9 depicted a common median concrete safety
barrier 62, that has the physical characteristic of having a
single slope that is on both sides. In FIG. 9, an additional
embodiment which can go onto a bridge or road Surface with
throughbores 34 and steel anchor rods 36 inclined (at an
acute angle) to the bridge or road Surface is provided on each
Side of the common median concrete Safety barrier 62.
Additionally, another embodiment regarding the common
median concrete Safety barrier 62 can be used with a bridge
or a road surface that is provided with a throughbore 50 and
a steel anchor rod 36 vertical (at a 90 degree angle) to the
bridge or the road Surface. AS with the previous embodi
ments, epoxy cement 52 is again used to further Secure the
common median barrier 62 in the throughbores 50 and on
the steel anchor rods 36. There is also epoxy cement 52
provided between the common median concrete Safety bar
rier 62 and the bridge or the road surface.
0045. Other embodiments (not shown) include a safety
shaped concrete Safety barrier 42 on a bridge or road Surface
with a throughbore 50 and a steel anchor rod 36 vertical (at
a 90 degree angle) to the bridge or road Surface that is not
secured by a hexagonal nut 38 and washer 40 on the end of
the steel anchor rod 36, Such as in FIG. 5. Another embodi
US 2003/0068.199 A1
ment includes a Safety shaped concrete Safety barrier 42 with
a throughbore 50 and a steel anchor rod 36 that is inclined
(at an acute angle) to the bridge or road Surface. Both
additional embodiments also utilize epoxy cement 52 to
better secure the throughbores 50 and the steel anchor rods
36. There is also epoxy cement 52 provided between the
Safety shaped concrete Safety barrier 42 and the bridge or the
road Surface.
0046. It is to be understood that the present invention is
not limited to the embodiments described above, but encom
passes any embodiment within the Scope of the following
claims.
We claim:
1. A System for anchoring concrete Safety barriers used on
bridge and road Surfaces, comprising:
a precast concrete Safety barrier having a crown portion,
outwardly extending sloping Side portions, and a base
portion having a flat bottom;
a plurality of evenly Spaced precast pockets on at least one
of Said sloping Side portions, each pocket having a
horizontal shelf and a precast throughbore;
a metal plate commensurate in Size and shape with the
horizontal shelf, having a centered aperture, and posi
tioned on Said horizontal shelf over Said precast
throughbore;
a plurality of metal Shear Studs positioned adjacent to Said
centered aperture and anchoring Said metal plate to Said
horizontal shelf; and
Apr. 10, 2003
a Steel anchor rod positioned in the centered aperture and
extending downwards and beyond the bottom of the
concrete Safety barrier, the Steel anchor rod being
inserted into a drilled hole on the surface of the bridge
or the road.
2. The System according to claim 1, wherein an epoxy
cement filler composition is provided, and injected into the
precast throughbore and into the drilled hole in the bridge or
the road Surface.
3. The System according to claim 1, wherein an epoxy
cement is provided, and applied between the bridge and the
road Surface and the bottom of the concrete Safety barrier.
4. The System according to claim 1, wherein the through
bore and Steel anchor rod are configured and arranged So as
to enter the bridge and the road Surface inclined at an acute
angle to the bridge and the road Surface.
5. The System according to claim 1, wherein the through
bore and Steel anchor rod are configured and arranged So as
to enter the bridge and the road surface vertically, at a 90
degree angle, to the bridge and the road Surface.
6. The System according to claim 1, wherein the concrete
Safety barrier is a single sided concrete Safety barrier.
7. The System according to claim 1, wherein the concrete
Safety barrier is a Safety shaped concrete Safety barrier.
8. The System according to claim 1, wherein the concrete
Safety barrier is a common median concrete Safety barrier.