Rapid Construction of River Fronts

Building Blocks and Method for Rapid Building of River Fronts

Som Karamchetty [1]

Abstract:

River and lake fronts are traditionally built at a slow pace while long bridges are built in a short span of time. A novel method is invented where river fronts (edges) can be built fast. In order to accomplish this rapid building, techniques similar to bridge construction are used in the designing and building of the blocks and the method of construction.

Background:

Prefabricated and pre-stressed reinforced concrete blocks of large sizes have now become common place in bridge construction. Moreover such construction is carried out without interrupting the water flow in the river.

   

Summary Description:

A novel method of construction is invented by which river fronts are quickly constructed as described in the following.

Pre-stressed steel reinforced concrete blocks of novel designs are prefabricated in a location nearer to the river. Figure 1 shows an edging panel and Figure 2 shows a pavement panel. Bumps and recesses are designed into the edging panels and pavement panels respectively so that they make a good fit. As the names indicate, the edging panel goes vertically along the edge of the river front while the pavement panel is located horizontally being interlocked with the edging panel. Figure 3 shows how they fit together when assembled together after placement.

Figure 1. Precast Pre-stressed Reinforced Concrete Edging Panel

Figure 2. Precast Pre-stressed Reinforced Concrete Pavement Panel

Figure 3. Pavement Panel and Edging panel fit together like Lego Blocks.

Prefabricated and pre-stressed reinforced concrete columns are inserted into holes drilled into the river bed along the edge of the river. These act as anchor columns and they hold the edging panel from collapsing into the river. Figure 4 shows the arrangement where the edging panel is dropped such that the holes in the edging panels fit over the anchor columns. Figure 5 shows an alternative arrangement where the edging panel is placed next to the row of anchor columns.

Figure 4. Edging panels are placed and located on the river's edge.

Figure 5. Edging panels located next to the anchor columns (alternative arrangement).

After the edging panels are in place, the pavement panels are placed on top of the edging panels making sure that the panels are level.

It is also possible to make suitable designs on these panels so that they contain plant holders (not shown). Barriers can be added to the pavement panels to prevent people and animals from falling into the river or lake.

Benefits:

The benefits from this technique and method are as follows.

•       Quick construction

•       Better standards from controlled manufacturing

•       Economy of scale (owing to factory production of panels).

Recommendation:

Prototypes should be built and tested. That can be followed by large scale implementation.

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[1] Som Karamchetty, 1400 Stratton Dr., Potomac, Maryland 20854, USA, somkdsr@verizon.net, www.karamchetty.net