Importance

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Abstract

A dowel support for use in concrete joint restraint system as is typically used for slabs in highway construction is provided, as is a concrete reinforcing system employing the dowel supports. The dowel support is used to support dowels of different diameters and, in a preferred embodiment, is made of a noncorrosive material to reduce corrosion at the dowel-support interface. The support of the present invention is especially suited for fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) dowels which are resistant to corrosion, and the combination of the fiberglass dowel with the support of the present invention provides an improved alternative to the steel basket supports presently in use. The supports use a wedge-shaped vertical mouth to receive the dowels, which are supported between the sides of the mouth at the width corresponding to the diameter of the dowel. An arched gate encloses the dowel in the mouth and secures the dowel in position prior to the introduction of the concrete, and each support can be aligned in a spaced apart position. The gate has wedges at lower ends which mate with the stand to lock the gate onto the dowel and prevent the dowel from being dislodged during the placing of the concrete. In an alternate embodiment, the gate may be replaced with a strap or other flexible retention mechanism which can secure the dowel quickly and rigidly in the stand. End caps are provided at one end of the concrete reinforcing system to allow for thermal expansion of the dowels, and a pane of typically fibrous material serves as a joint expansion for adjacent concrete blocks.

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First Claim