Method and apparatus for constructing an automotive vehicle parking lot

Abstract

A method and apparatus for constructing an automotive vehicle parking lot ( 10 ) on a land area ( 12 ) is provided. A composite drainage material ( 20 ) is provided through which water drains. The composite drainage material ( 20 ) comprises a polymeric open mesh core ( 22 ) between first and second layers ( 24 and 26 ) of a non-woven geo-textile fabric. The land area ( 12 ) is covered with the material ( 20 ) by placing rolls ( 28 ) of the material adjacent one another. The rolls ( 28 ) are unrolled over the land area ( 12 ) so that longitudinal edge portions ( 30 and 40 ) of adjacent rolls adjoin one another. A portion ( 34, 44 ) of the longitudinal edge portions ( 30 and 40 ) are overlapped and secured to each other, and not to the land area ( 12 ), to create a gapless and continuous surface ( 84 ) of the material ( 20 ), with the majority of the land area ( 12 ) lying underneath the material. The first layer ( 24 ) of each of the rolls ( 28 ) contacts the land area ( 12 ). The second layer ( 26 ) of each of the rolls ( 28 ) faces away from the land area ( 28 ) and provides the surface ( 84 ) on which vehicles are parked.

1 - 8 . (Canceled)  
     
     
         9 . A method of constructing an automotive vehicle parking lot system for a plurality of automotive vehicles on a land area, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a land area;    preparing predetermined portions of the land area for installation of a main drive and a plurality of drive lanes branching from the main drive that provide a path for the vehicles to follow when being parked, said step of preparing predetermined portions of the land area for installation of a main drive and a plurality of drive lanes including the steps of: 
 excavating a predetermined amount of land area along a predetermined distance at a plurality of locations within a periphery of the land area where the main drive and drive lines are to be located;  
 installing a layer of non-woven geo-textile filter fabric over the excavated land area;  
 installing a predetermined amount of gravel over the filter fabric; and  
   compacting the gravel;    laying rolls of a composite drainage material through which water drains on top of the land area including over the main drive and the drive lanes to create a gapless and continuous surface on which the vehicles navigate and are parked;    overlapping a portion of the composite drainage material at longitudinal edge portions of adjacent rolls; and    securing the overlapped portions of the longitudinal edge portions to each other.    
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein said step of laying rolls of a composite drainage material through which water drains on top of the land area to create a gapless and continuous surface includes the steps of: 
 excavating a portion of the land area to create anchor trenches around a periphery of the land area;  
 unrolling the rolls of the composite drainage material over the land area so that at least one of the longitudinal edge portions of the rolls is at least partially inside the trenches; and  
 filling the trenches containing the edge portions of the rolls with the excavated land to anchor the edge portions to the land area.  
 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein said step of securing the overlapped portions of the longitudinal edge portions of adjacent rolls to each other includes the steps of: 
 excavating portions of the land area to create additional anchor trenches within the periphery of the land area;  
 placing at least a portion of the longitudinal edges of the rolls of the composite drainage material adjacent the additional trenches so that at least one of the longitudinal edge portions of the rolls are at least partially inside the additional trenches; and  
 filling the additional trenches containing the at least some of the plurality of edges of the rolls with the excavated land to anchor the edges to the land area.  
 
     
     
         12 - 18 . (Canceled)