Prefabricated unit for refurbishment or construction of platforms

Abstract

A prefabricated platform unit ( 1 ), for construction or refurbishment of a railway station platform, has a stepped upper surface ( 4 ) with a recessed planar forward portion ( 4 a ) on which edge copers ( 23 ) are to be mounted. Refurbishment of an exiting platform may be performed by excavating a region ( 22 ) of the platform surface to the front edge, installing a prefabricated platform unit ( 1 ) in the excavated region, and installing edge copers ( 23 ). Construction of a new platform may include the steps of constructing foundations alongside the railway, constructing upstanding supporting members on the foundations, and mounting a superstructure including the prefabricated platform units on the supporting members.

1 . A prefabricated platform unit for construction or refurbishment of a railway station platform, the unit having a stepped upper surface, front and rear edge surfaces, and side edge surfaces, the upper surface comprising a forward portion, on which edge copers are to be mounted, and a rearward portion, with a step rising between the forward and rearward portions, the forward portion being planar.  
     
     
         2 . A unit as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the rearward portion of the upper surface slopes downwardly and rearwardly from adjacent the step.  
     
     
         3 . A unit as claimed in  claim 1  or  2 , in which the rearward portion of the upper surface has a raised plinth adjacent the rear edge surface.  
     
     
         4 . A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which one of the side edge surfaces has a key formation for fitting in a recess in a side edge surface of an adjacent unit.  
     
     
         5 . A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which one of the side edge surfaces has a recess for receiving a key formation on a side edge surface of an adjacent unit.  
     
     
         6 . A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the unit is made of reinforced concrete.  
     
     
         7 . A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the length of the unit from front to rear is at least as great as its width.  
     
     
         8 . A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the unit is about 2 metres wide.  
     
     
         9 . A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the length of the forward portion of the upper surface from the front edge surface to the step is at least 1 metre.  
     
     
         10 . A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, the unit being in the form of a slab having a substantially planar bottom surface, the forward portion of the upper surface being substantially parallel to the bottom surface.  
     
     
         11 . A unit as claimed in  claim 10 , in which the unit has at least one through-hole communicating between the forward portion of the upper surface and the bottom surface, for supplying grout to the underside of the unit.  
     
     
         12 . A unit as claimed in  claim 11 , in which the bottom surface has a groove for receiving a seal adjacent the front edge surface.  
     
     
         13 . A unit as claimed in any of  claims 10  to  12 , in which the bottom surface has projections for locating the unit relative to a supporting structure.  
     
     
         14 . A method of refurbishing a railway station platform, including the following steps: 
 (a) excavating a region of the surface of the platform, the said region extending to the front edge of the platform;    (b) installing in the excavated region a prefabricated platform unit according to any of  claims 1  to  13 ; and    (c) installing edge copers on the forward portion of the upper surface of the installed unit.    
     
     
         15 . A method as claimed in  claim 14 , in which, between steps (a) and (b), levelling elements are arranged in the excavated region to support the unit.  
     
     
         16 . A method as claimed in  claim 14  or  15 , in which, between steps (b) and (c), grout is supplied to the underside of the unit.  
     
     
         17 . A method as claimed in  claim 16 , in which the grout is supplied through at least one hole in the forward portion of the upper surface of the unit.  
     
     
         18 . A method as claimed in  claim 17 , in which escape of grout from under the front edge of the unit is substantially prevented by a seal between the unit and the excavated region.  
     
     
         19 . A method as claimed in any of  claims 14  to  18 , in which at least four edge copers are mounted side by side across the width of the unit.  
     
     
         20 . A method as claimed in any of  claims 14  to  19 , in which the width of each edge coper is less than its length.  
     
     
         21 . A method as claimed in any of  claims 14  to  20 , in which each edge coper weighs at most 25 kg.  
     
     
         22 . A method as claimed in any of  claims 14  to  21 , in which the edge copers are installed on a quick-setting resin-based mortar.  
     
     
         23 . A method as claimed in any of  claims 14  to  22 , in which, after step (c), paving elements are installed between the edge copers and the step in the upper surface of the unit.  
     
     
         24 . A method as claimed in any of  claims 13  to  22 , in which, before step (a), the platform is cut to a given depth along lines delimiting a rear edge and side edges of the region to be excavated.  
     
     
         25 . A railway station platform structure comprising a plurality of platform units according to any of  claims 1  to  13  arranged side by side.  
     
     
         26 . A platform structure as claimed in  claim 25 , in which the units carry edge copers mounted side by side on the forward portions of the upper surfaces of the units, the front edges of the copers being at a given horizontal spacing from the adjacent rail.  
     
     
         27 . A platform structure as claimed in  claim 26 , including paving elements between the edge copers and the steps in the upper surfaces of the units.  
     
     
         28 . A platform structure as claimed in  claim 27 , in which the paving elements have tactile upper surfaces.  
     
     
         29 . A railway station platform structure comprising: 
 foundations alongside the railway;    upstanding supporting members rising from the foundations;    cross beams mounted on the supporting members and having cantilevered portions extending beyond the supporting members towards the railway;    longitudinal beams on the cross beams, each longitudinal beam extending between a pair of the cross beams, there being at least two longitudinal beams between each pair of cross beams, at least one of these longitudinal beams being on the cantilevered portions of the cross beams and at least one of these longitudinal beams being remote from the cantilevered portions; and    platform units according to  claim 1  on the longitudinal beams, the side edge surfaces of the platform units extending away from the railway and the front edge surfaces extending along the railway beyond the ends of the cantilevered portions of the cross beams.    
     
     
         30 . A platform structure as claimed in  claim 29 , in which the supporting members comprise columns.  
     
     
         31 . A platform structure as claimed in  claim 29  or  30 , in which each cross beam is supported by two said supporting members.  
     
     
         32 . A platform structure as claimed in any of  claims 29  to  31 , in which the supporting members and the cross beams have complementary formations which interengage to locate the cross beams relative to the supporting members.  
     
     
         33 . A platform structure as claimed in  claim 32 , in which the said formations on the supporting members comprise tie bars and the said formations on the cross beams comprise through-holes.  
     
     
         34 . A platform structure as claimed in any of  claims 29  to  33 , in which the cross beam are connected to the supporting members solely by mechanical connection devices.  
     
     
         35 . A platform structure as claimed in any of  claims 29  to  34 , in which the cross beams have upwardly and laterally open recesses which accommodate end portions of the longitudinal beams.  
     
     
         36 . A platform structure as claimed in  claim 35 , in which resilient pads are interposed between the said end portions and the bottoms of the said recesses.  
     
     
         37 . A platform structure as claimed in  claim 35  or  36 , in which the longitudinal beams have end abutment surfaces recessed beneath the said end portions.  
     
     
         38 . A platform substructure as claimed in any of  claims 29  to  34 , in which the cross beams are integral with the longitudinal beams.  
     
     
         39 . A platform structure as claimed in any of  claims 29  to  38 , in which the upper surfaces of the cross beams are substantially flush with the upper surfaces of the longitudinal beams.  
     
     
         40 . A platform structure as claimed in any of  claims 29  to  39 , in which at least one pair of adjacent longitudinal beams, between an adjacent pair of cross beams, have longitudinal recesses which face each other, for receiving a cable support tray.  
     
     
         41 . A platform structure as claimed in any of  claims 29  to  40 , in which at least one of the cross beams has at least one transverse aperture for the passage of a cable.  
     
     
         42 . A platform structure as claimed in any of  claims 29  to  41 , in which the undersides of the platform units have projections for locating the platform units relative to the longitudinal beams.  
     
     
         43 . A platform structure as claimed in any of  claims 28  to  42 , in which each longitudinal beam supports at least two platform units.  
     
     
         44 . A platform structure as claimed in any of  claims 29  to  41 , in which the longitudinal beams are integral with the platform units.  
     
     
         45 . A platform structure as claimed in any of  claims 29  to  44 , in which the adjacent side edge surfaces of adjacent platform units have, respectively, a key formation and a recess in which the key formation fits so as to resist relative vertical motion of the adjacent slab units.  
     
     
         46 . A platform structure as claimed in any of  claims 29  to  45 , in which each platform unit is elongate in the direction away from the railway.  
     
     
         47 . A platform structure as claimed in any of  claims 29  to  46 , in which the platform units include raised portions which are aligned to constitute a plinth to the rear of the platform structure.  
     
     
         48 . A platform structure as claimed in any of  claims 29  to  47 , further comprising edge copers mounted side by side on the platform units.  
     
     
         49 . A method of constructing a railway station platform structure, including the steps of: 
 (a) constructing foundations alongside the railway;    (b) constructing upstanding supporting members on the foundations; and    (c) mounting on the supporting members a prefabricated superstructure comprising cross beams mounted on the supporting members so that the cross beams have cantilevered portions extending beyond the supporting members towards the railway, longitudinal beams on the cross beams, and platform units according to  claim 1  on the longitudinal beams, the side edge surfaces of the platform units extending away from the railway and the front edge surfaces of the platform units extending along the railway beyond the ends of the cantilevered portions of the cross beams.    
     
     
         50 . A method as claimed in  claim 49 , in which the longitudinal beams are combined with the platform units and step (b) includes mounting the cross beams on the supporting members and then mounting the longitudinal beams together with the platform units on the cross beams.  
     
     
         51 . A method as claimed in  claim 49 , in which the cross beams, the longitudinal beams, and the platform units are combined to form separate prefabricated units of the superstructure, and step (b) includes mounting the prefabricated units of the superstructure on the supporting members.  
     
     
         52 . A method of constructing a railway station platform structure, including the following steps: 
 (a) constructing foundations alongside the railway;    (b) constructing upstanding supporting members on the foundations;    (c) mounting cross beams on the supporting members so that the cross beams have cantilevered portions extending beyond the supporting members towards the railway;    (d) mounting longitudinal beams on the cross beams; and    (e) mounting platform units according to  claim 1  on the longitudinal beams so that the side edge surfaces of the platform units extend away from the railway and the front edge surfaces of the platform units extend along the railway beyond the ends of the cantilevered portions of the cross beams.