Prefabricated Highways

To facilitate more efficient and economical ways of repairing and building roads and bridges in urban areas that are subject to both construction time restrictions and high rates of change, several new ways of construction are described. Basically, precast concrete components are used which are post-tensioned together by standard or special teflon coated tendons. A number of highway bridges utilizing such construction techniques have already been built, but only a few experimental highway pavements have been tried to date. A new technique described by stitching pavement slabs together with curved tendons should expedite the greater use of prefabricated roadways. Also mentioned are new methods of using prefabricated footings and foundations, particularly for bridge construction.