Protection system for surfaces of infrastructure improvements in a construction environment

Abstract

A protection system comprises a body section and optional ramps for facilitating travel over the body section. The protection system may comprise base and arm members, which have bottom surfaces at different elevations to fit over an elevation change. In use, the protection system is installed over a surface to be protected, which may be a portion of an infrastructure improvement, such as a sidewalk, curb, gutter, or other structure. Traffic crossing the surface of the infrastructure improvement is then directed over the protection system, where the topical load from the traffic is distributed across the surface. When the use is complete, the protection system may be removed from the surface.

1 . A protection system for protecting an edge of an infrastructure improvement from construction traffic, the protection system comprising:
 a top surface capable of supporting a load;   a base member coupled to the top surface to distribute a portion of a load applied to the top surface, the base member having a bottom surface that opposes the top surface; and   an arm member extending from the base member and coupled to the top surface to distribute a portion of a load applied to the top surface, the arm member having a bottom surface that opposes the top surface,   wherein the bottom surface of the arm member is offset from the bottom surface of the base member to form an elevation change between the bottom surfaces.   
   
   
       2 . The protection system of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the arm member between the base member and the bottom surface of the arm member is offset away from the bottom surface of the arm member, thereby avoiding distributing a load to the edge of an infrastructure improvement. 
   
   
       3 . The protection system of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of the base member and the bottom surface of the arm member are parallel. 
   
   
       4 . The protection system of  claim 3 , wherein the bottom surfaces are separated by at least six inches in a direction parallel to a plane of the base member. 
   
   
       5 . The protection system of  claim 1 , wherein the base member has a cross section that is partially cutaway between the bottom surface of the base member and the arm member, thereby allowing a flow of fluid along the cutaway portion of the base member. 
   
   
       6 . The protection system of  claim 1 , wherein the top surface comprises traction ribs to facilitate traffic thereover. 
   
   
       7 . The protection system of  claim 1 , wherein the top surface comprises a plurality of openings for allowing particles to pass through the top surface. 
   
   
       8 . The protection system of  claim 1 , wherein the protection system further comprises one or more handles to facilitate placement and movement of the structure. 
   
   
       9 . The protection system of  claim 1 , wherein the protection system comprises one or more openings through the bottom surface of the base member for fixing the base member in place. 
   
   
       10 . The protection system of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the protection system has a cross section with material removed to form a plurality of internal structural support members. 
   
   
       11 . The protection system of  claim 10 , wherein the internal structural support members comprise cross supports. 
   
   
       12 . The protection system of  claim 10 , wherein the internal structural support members comprise buttressed sides. 
   
   
       13 . The protection system of  claim 10 , wherein the internal structural support members comprise vertical boxes. 
   
   
       14 . A protection system for protecting an edge of an infrastructure improvement from construction traffic, the protection system comprising:
 a body section having a top surface arranged to distribute a topical load across the body section;   an entry section coupled to the body section and to receive and distribute at least a portion of a topical load from the body section to a base surface of the entry section; and   an exit section coupled to the body section and arranged to distribute at least a portion of a topical load from the body section to a base surface of the exit section,   wherein the base surface of the exit section is at an offset elevation from the base surface of the entry section, and   wherein a gap exists between the base surface of the exit section and a projection of the base surface of the entry section onto a plane of the base surface of the exit section.   
   
   
       15 . The protection system of  claim 14 , wherein the gap is at least six inches. 
   
   
       16 . The protection system of  claim 14 , wherein the body section includes a raised portion at the gap to avoid distributing a topical load to an edge of an infrastructure improvement. 
   
   
       17 . The protection system of  claim 14 , wherein the exit section and the entry section each comprise one or more ramps coupled to the body section to facilitate construction traffic over an elevation change caused by a height of the body section. 
   
   
       18 . The protection system of  claim 14 , wherein the body section comprises a plurality of modular sections that are attachable to and detachable from each other. 
   
   
       19 . The protection system of  claim 14 , wherein the top surface includes traction ribs over at least a portion thereof to facilitate traffic thereover. 
   
   
       20 . The protection system of  claim 14 , wherein the top surface includes openings through which particles may pass.