Appeal No. 2002-2090
Application 08/430,311
Appellant’s invention relates to load bearing concrete panel
structures for use as decking material such as in structural
floors and bridge decks, and to the method of producing such
panel structures. As noted on pages 14-15 of the specification,
a principal object of the invention is to provide a load bearing
concrete panel which is less expensive and has better durability
than existing concrete bridge deck panels due to the removal of
flexural reinforcing material, such as conventional steel
reinforcing bars, in the top half of the panel near the top
surface of the panel, but without loss of the utility of such
panels. In that regard, it is a further object of the invention
to provide a load bearing concrete bridge deck panel structure
which has sufficient flexural reinforcement (in its bottom half)
to provide the appropriate amount of flexural strength, but which
is also designed to eliminate or significantly impede both the
amount and the speed of surface deterioration of the panel. More
particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a load
bearing concrete bridge deck panel which resists cracking at the
upper surface thereof due to concrete volume shrinkage and
temperature changes, and which has structural properties that
prevent or reduce deterioration of the top surface of the panel
caused by corrosion of flexural reinforcing materials.
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