APPARATUS FOR RESTORING A FLUSHED BITUMEN ROAD AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

The present invention relates to an apparatus for restoring flushed bitumen roads or carriageways and a system for and methods of restoring flushed bitumen roads or carriageways. In particular but not solely the invention relates to an apparatus for restoring the flushed bitumen wheel tracks of roads or carriageways and a system for and methods of restoring flushed bitumen wheel tracks of roads.

BACKGROUND

There are several methods and variations of road construction known. One of them utilises, chipseal or sprayseal surfacing and comprises applying heated bitumen, or binder, to a base layer of a road being formed, followed by the application of graded aggregate i.e., chips or stones. Bitumen binder provides waterproofing to the pavement or road surface and holds the aggregate chips in place thereby providing anti-skid properties as well.

Flushed bitumen (also known as bitumen bleeding or flushing) is a term commonly used to describe an undesirable degradation of a road or pavement surface associated with a migration of the bitumen binder to the upper road or pavement surface and/or a migration of the aggregate downward beneath the surface. This can be caused by excess initial application of bitumen, insufficient initial coverage of aggregate, damage to the road surface and/or environmental factors such as consistent high-heat that may all contribute to the bleeding, or flushing of a bitumen seal. In particular gradual damage the road surface occurs at the wheel track locations of the road and in particular on road corners and bends where tyre traction on the road surface is repetitively high and hence road wear at such regions of a road surface is can be significant

Flushed bitumen poses risks to road users as it reduces the anti-skid properties of the road surface.

Known methods of restoring or rehabilitating flushed bitumen surfaces include removing (i.e., scarring/working out of the road surface) and re-building it with new bitumen and new aggregate and/or recycling the removed materials. This can be an expensive process that prevents use of the road for long durations and also creates excess pollution from the working-up of the road materials. Sand-blasting and/or water cutting are also known methods which involve the removal of excess binder, but are either less-effective than scarring/working out of the road surface and/or present similar issues regarding expense, inconvenience and pollution.

It may therefore an object of at least preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide an apparatus for restoring a flushed bitumen road or carriageway which overcomes or at least partially ameliorates some of the abovementioned disadvantages or which at least provides the public with a useful choice.

It may also be an object of at least preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a method of restoring a flushed bitumen road or carriageway which overcomes or at least partially ameliorates some of the abovementioned disadvantages or which at least provides the public with a useful choice.

It may also be an object of at least preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a system for restoring a flushed bitumen road or carriageway which overcomes or at least partially ameliorates some of the abovementioned disadvantages or which at least provides the public with a useful choice.

STATEMENTS OF INVENTION

In a first aspect the present invention may be said to be a vehicle to restore a bitumen road or carriageway having lengths of flushed bitumen surfaces extending along at least part of a first wheel track region and a parallel second wheel track region extending along the road or carriage way created by the left and right side wheels of vehicles that have driven on the road or carriageway, said apparatus comprising: i. a chassis with left and right side wheels driven by a motor to travel along the road or carriageway and said left side wheels spaced from said right side wheels at a distance so that the left and right side wheels can move along said first and second wheel tracks respectively, ii. a workstation, towed by or supported ontop of the chassis to travel along the road or carriageway with the chassis, the workstation comprising,

■ an aggregate housing able to contain a volume of aggregate to be dispensed therefrom in a manner to spread a sequence of doses of said aggregate onto flushed bitumen of either one or both said first and second wheel track in selective manner based on flushed bitumen being detected, and

■ at each of the left and right sides of the chassis, a heater unit located to pass over and in sufficient proximity of the left and right side wheel tracks simultaneously, to selectively heat the flushed bitumen based on flushed bitumen being detected and prior to a dose of said aggregate being dispensed thereon, as the vehicle drives along said first and second wheel tracks.

Preferably each heater unit is a radiant heater unit provided to emit radiant heat to the flushed bitumen reliant on fuel internally combusted in a combustion zone of the radiant heater unit, the combustion gassed exhausted from the combustion zone via the aggregate housing to transfer heat from the combustion gasses to the volume of aggregate.

Preferably each heater unit can be individually controlled so that the heat radiated from each heater unit can change dependent on the detected state of the surface of the road or carriageway..

Preferably one heater unit may be hotter than the other.

Preferably one heater unit may be above 100 degrees Celsius and the other heater unit may be at ambient temperature..

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a method of restoring a bitumen road or carriageway having flushed bitumen extending along at least part of two parallel wheel track regions extending along the road or carriage way, caused by the left and right side wheels of vehicles that have driven on the road or carriageway, the method comprising the steps of: a. selective heating at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway along a length of said road or carriageway from an ambient temperature to about a first target temperature range, b. distributing aggregate onto at least part of the surface along said length of said road or carriageway that has been heated, and c. compacting at least some of said aggregate into the road or carriageway at least partially below said surface along said length of said road or carriageway.

In an embodiment, the heating of at least part of the surface promotes at least partial receipt of at least some of said aggregate into the road or carriageway.

In an embodiment, the heating of at least part of the surface promotes the ability of the road or carriageway to at least partially receive said aggregate to at least partially below its surface.

In an embodiment, the first target temperature range ranges from about 120 °C to about 160 °C.

In an embodiment, step a) is performed by an apparatus travelling along said length of said road or carriageway at a speed of between about 4 meters per minute to about 15 meters per minute.

In an embodiment, the method further comprises the step of heating at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway to a second target temperature range during and/or prior to step c).

In an embodiment, the second target temperature range ranges from about 150 °C to about 190 °C.

In an embodiment, the heating at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway to a second temperature range is performed by the apparatus travelling along said length of said road or carriageway at a speed of between about 4 meters per minute to about 15 meters per minute.

In an embodiment, at least some of the aggregate is heated prior and/or during its distribution in step b).

In an embodiment, the heating to about a first target temperature range of step a) comprises distributing heated aggregate onto said at least part of the surface along said length of said road or carriageway such that step b) comprises a continuing distribution of said heated aggregate.

In an embodiment, the method further comprises the step of distributing aggregate onto at least part of the surface along said length of said road or carriageway prior to step a).

In an embodiment, step b) is performed by the apparatus travelling along said length of said road or carriageway at a speed of about 4 meters per minute to about 15 meters per minute.

In an embodiment, step c) is performed such that about 1/3rd to about 2/3rd of an average smallest dimension of at least some of said aggregate is embedded below said surface of the road or carriageway.

In an embodiment, the heating to about a first target temperature range of step a) is performed by application of heat from a first heat source.

In an embodiment, the heating to about a second target temperature range is performed by application of heat from a second heat source.

In an embodiment, said first heat source is or forms part of said second heat source.

In a further aspect, the present invention may be said to be a method of restoring a surface of a flushed bitumen road or carriageway, the method comprising the steps of: a. distributing a first spread of aggregate to at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway along a length of said road or carriageway, b. heating at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway along said length of said road or carriageway from an ambient temperature to a first target temperature range of about 120 °C to about 160 °C, c. distributing a second spread of aggregate to at least part of the surface along said length of said road or carriageway that has been heated, d. heating at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway along said length of said road or carriageway to a second target temperature range of about 150 °C to about 190 °C, and e. compacting at least some of the aggregate into the road or carriageway at least partially below said surface along said length of said road or carriageway.

In a further aspect, the present invention may be said to be an apparatus for carrying out the method of any one of the aspect(s) and/or embodiment(s) outlined above, the apparatus configured to travel along the road or carriageway, heat at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway along a length thereof and distribute aggregate onto at least part of said surface along said length of the road or carriageway.

In a further aspect, the present invention may be said to be a method of controlling heat transfer from a radiant heater to a flushed bitumen surface of a road or carriage way during restoring a bitumen road or carriageway having a length of flushed bitumen surface extending along at least part of a first wheel track region and a parallel second wheel track region extending along the road or carriage way created by the left and right side wheels of vehicles that have driven on the road or carriageway, said heat transfer to be performed or being performed in a single pass travel of the radiant heater along a length of said road or carriageway, the method comprising the steps of: i. measuring at least one property of at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway along at both the first and second wheel track regions, and ii. and based on at least one measured property and a predetermined target temperature of the road or carriageway surface, adjusting one or more of:

■ the temperature of the radiant heater:

■ the speed of travel along said road or carriageway of said radiant heater, and/or

■ a distance of said heat radiant heater relative said surface of said road or carriageway.

In an embodiment, said at least one measured property of at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway comprises any one or more of: i. an ambient temperature of said surface and/or of ambient environment proximate said surface, ii. a moisture content of said surface, iii. a depth of said road or carriageway, a depth of the flushed bitumen relative said depth of said road or carriageway and/or a depth of aggregate embedded in road or carriageway relative said depth of said road or carriageway, iv. a material composition of the flushed bitumen and/or a viscosity thereof, and/or v. a material composition of the aggregate embedded in the road or carriageway and/or an average smallest dimension thereof.

In a further aspect, the present invention may be said to be an apparatus for restoring a surface of a flushed bitumen road or carriageway, said apparatus comprising: a. a prime mover able to travel along the road or carriageway, b. a workstation, towed by or part of or otherwise able to move with and by the prime mover, along the road or carriageway, the workstation comprising: i. a first heater module for heating at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway along a length of said road or carriageway, and ii. an aggregate module for distributing aggregate onto at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway and along said length of said road or carriageway.

In an embodiment, the first heater module comprises of at least one heater unit.

In an embodiment, said at least one heater unit is configured for movement to, from and/or between: a. a stowed position located substantially within said workstation and/or a notional footprint thereof, and b. a deployed position located substantially beneath said workstation and at least partly outside of said workstation and/or a notional footprint thereof for presenting a heating surface of said at least one heater unit for heating of the surface of the road or carriageway.

In an embodiment, said deployed position comprises presenting said heating surface in a substantially downward and coplanar orientation relative said surface of the road or carriageway for heating thereof.

In an embodiment, the at least one heater unit comprises a radiant heater element configured to emit heat energy.

In an embodiment, said radiant heater element comprises a planar surface and a plurality of thin elongate fins extending therefrom along a width and/or length of said planar surface. In an embodiment, said at least one heater unit is powered by a fuel source comprising liquid petroleum gas (LPG), petrol, diesel and/or at least one electric battery housed by or part of or otherwise able to move with the workstation.

In an embodiment, the at least one heater unit comprises a plurality of discrete burners.

In an embodiment, the plurality of discrete burners are configured to emit an open flame.

In an embodiment, the plurality of discrete burners are positioned within the walls of the radiant heater element.

In an embodiment, the at least one heater unit comprises a bottom plate enclosing the at least one heater unit.

In an embodiment, heat emitted by the burners may transfer to said bottom plate such that said bottom plate emits the heat.

In an embodiment, the first heater module is arranged as part of the workstation in a location forward of the aggregate module.

In an embodiment, said first heater module comprises two heater units disposed substantially at the flanks of said workstation.

In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises a second heater module for heating at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway along a length of said road or carriageway and arranged as part of the workstation in a location rearward of the aggregate module.

In an embodiment, the second heater module comprises at least one heater unit configured as described above in relation to the other embodiment(s) and/or aspect(s). In an embodiment, the second heater module comprises two heater units disposed substantially at the flanks of said workstation, each heater unit configured as described above in relation to the other embodiment(s) and/or aspect(s).

In an embodiment, the aggregate module comprises of an aggregate housing configured to receive or housing, a volume of aggregate.

In an embodiment, the aggregate module comprises of a transfer arrangement configured to receive at least some of said volume of aggregate when so-housed by said aggregate housing, and dispense said at least some of said volume of aggregate to thereby provide said distribution of aggregate onto at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway.

In an embodiment, the transfer arrangement comprises of at least one conveyer mechanism located at or defining a bottom of said aggregate housing.

In an embodiment, the transfer arrangement comprises of at least one dispensing mechanism located at a periphery of said aggregate housing.

In an embodiment, the at least one conveyer mechanism is configured to receive at least some of said volume of aggregate and move it to or towards said at least one dispensing mechanism, the at least one dispensing mechanism configured to action an opening that permits distribution of said at least some of said volume of aggregate from said aggregate housing.

In an embodiment, the at least one dispensing mechanism is arranged such that at least some of the aggregate is distributed substantially within a notional footprint of the workstation and/or at least partly outside a notional footprint of the workstation.

In an embodiment, the aggregate module is configured such that at least some of the coverage of aggregate is distributed substantially within a notional footprint of the workstation and/or at least partly outside a notional footprint of the workstation. In an embodiment, the first heater module is configured such that at least some of the heating is applied substantially within a notional footprint of the workstation and/or at least partly outside a notional footprint of the workstation.

In an embodiment, the at least one heater unit is configured such that at least some of the heating is applied substantially within and/or at least partly outside a notional footprint of the workstation.

In an embodiment, the at least one heater unit of said second heater module is configured such that at least some of the heating is applied substantially within and/or at least partly outside a notional footprint of the workstation.

In an embodiment, the apparatus is configured such that the heating of at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway and the distributing of aggregate onto at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway both at least partly occur substantially within a notional footprint of the workstation and in a direction of travel of the prime mover along the road or carriageway.

In an embodiment, the transfer arrangement is configured to adjust the distributing of aggregate based on a movement speed of the workstation and/or prime mover.

In an embodiment, the at least one heater unit is configured for movement towards or away from the surface of the road or carriageway.

In an embodiment, the apparatus is configured such that the heating of at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway and the distributing of aggregate onto at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway both at least partly occur substantially within the same notional endless trail of the apparatus defined at least partially by a direction of travel of the prime mover along the road or carriageway.

In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises an exhaust arrangement configured to route at least some of the heat emitted by heating of at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway to the aggregate module. In an embodiment, said exhaust arrangement is configured to route heat to the aggregate module for heating of at least some of a volume of aggregate received or receivable by said aggregate module prior to and/or during distribution of at least some of said volume of aggregate onto at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway and along said length of said road or carriageway.

In an embodiment, said emitted comprises heat emitted by the first heater module and/or exhaust fumes and/or gases generated by the heating of at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway along a length of said road or carriageway.

In an embodiment, said exhaust arrangement comprises at least one exhaust unit positioned at the first heater module and adapted to receive at least some of the heat emitted by the first heater module and/or exhaust fumes and/or gases generated by the heating of at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway by the first heater module.

In an embodiment, said exhaust arrangement comprises at least one exhaust receiver configured to receive the heat and/or exhaust fumes and/or gases received by the at least one exhaust unit and route said heat and/or exhaust fumes and/or gases to a plurality of aggregate heater pipes positioned at the aggregate module.

In an embodiment, said plurality of aggregate heater pipes extend into the aggregate module.

In an embodiment, said plurality of aggregate heater pipes are configured to trap and/or contain at least some of said heat and/or exhaust fumes and/or gases received from the at least one exhaust receiver at the aggregate module.

In an embodiment, said plurality of aggregate heater extend across a width of the aggregate module and/or aggregate housing.

In an embodiment, said plurality of aggregate heater extend across a length of the aggregate module and/or aggregate housing. In an embodiment, said plurality of aggregate heater pipes are configured to absorb at least some of said heat and/or exhaust fumes and/or gases received from the at least one exhaust receiver at the aggregate module.

In an embodiment, portions of said plurality of aggregate heater pipes extending across a width of the aggregate module and/or aggregate housing are configured to absorb at least some of said heat and/or exhaust fumes and/or gases received from the at least one exhaust receiver at the aggregate module.

In an embodiment, said plurality of aggregate heater pipes are configured to emit heat.

In an embodiment, a volume of aggregate so received by the aggregate housing absorbs at least some of said heat emitted by said plurality of aggregate heater pipes.

In an embodiment, a volume of aggregate so received by the aggregate housing absorbs at least some of said heat emitted by said plurality of aggregate heater pipes so as to heat at least some of said volume of aggregate.

In an embodiment, said exhaust arrangement is configured to recycle any one or more of: at least some of the heat emitted generated by heating of at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway, at least some of the heat emitted by the first heater module, at least some of the heat emitted by the second heater module, at least some of the heat emitted by the at least one heater unit, and/or at least some of the hot exhaust fumes/gases generated by the heating of at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway, for use in heating at least some of the volume of aggregate when so received and/or contained by the aggregate module. In a further aspect, the present invention may be said to be a system for restoring a flushed bitumen road or carriageway, the system comprising: a. a single workstation able to be guided for movement along the road or carriageway and comprising both at least one heater module for heating at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway along a length of said road or carriageway, and an aggregate module for distributing aggregate onto at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway and along said length of said road or carriageway, or b. a plurality of workstations, able to be guided for movement along the road or carriageway, the plurality of workstations each or together comprising at least one of each of: i. a heater module for heating at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway along a length of said road or carriageway, and ii. an aggregate module for distributing aggregate onto at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway and along said length of said road or carriageway, the system further comprising a compactor for compacting at least some of said aggregate into the road or carriageway at least partially below said surface along said length of said road or carriageway.

In an embodiment, any of the embodiment(s) outlined above in relation to the apparatus aspect(s) may apply to the system aspect described above.

In a further aspect, the present invention may be said to be a method of heating a volume of aggregate at least some of which is to be distributed and/or is being distributed onto a road or carriageway, the method comprising the steps of: a. routing at least some of the heat emitted by a heat source to an aggregate housing configured to receive and/or containing said volume of aggregate, so as to heat said volume of aggregate when so received by said aggregate housing.

In an embodiment, said heat emitted by a heat source is used for heating at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway, prior to and/or during distribution of at least some of said volume of aggregate onto said road or carriageway.

In an embodiment, said emit emitted comprises exhaust fumes and/or gases generated by the heating of at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway. In an embodiment, said at least some of the volume of aggregate is heated prior to its distribution onto said road or carriageway and during and/or after heating of at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway by said heat source.

In an embodiment, the distribution of the heated at least some of said volume of aggregate and said heating of at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway by said heat source are together configured to promote at least partial receipt of at least some of said heated and distributed aggregate into the road or carriageway.

In an embodiment, the distribution of the heated at least some of said volume of aggregate and said heating of at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway by said heat source are together configured to promote the ability of the road or carriageway to at least partially receive said heated and distributed aggregate to at least partially below its surface.

In an embodiment, the distribution of the heated at least some of said volume of aggregate and said heating of at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway by said heat source are together configured such that about 1/3rd to about 2/3rd of an average smallest dimension of at least some of said heated and distributed aggregate is embedded below said surface of the road or carriageway.

In an embodiment, the heating of at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway comprises heating said at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway an ambient temperature to about a first target temperature range that ranges from about 120 °C to about 160 °C.

In an embodiment, the heating of at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway comprises heating said at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway to about a second target temperature range that ranges from about 150 °C to about 190 °C.

In an embodiment, the method is performed by an apparatus travelling along said length of said road or carriageway at a speed of about 4 meters per minute to about 15 meters per minute. In an embodiment, said apparatus comprises a workstation configured to support the aggregate housing and heat source.

In this specification, where reference has been made to external sources of information, including patent specifications and other documents, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the present invention. Unless stated otherwise, reference to such sources of information is not to be construed, in any jurisdiction, as an admission that such sources of information are prior art or form part of the common general knowledge in the art.

For the purposes of this specification, the term "plastic" shall be construed to mean a general term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic polymerization products, and generally consisting of a hydrocarbon-based polymer.

For the purpose of this specification, where method steps are described in sequence, the sequence does not necessarily mean that the steps are to be chronologically ordered in that sequence, unless there is no other logical manner of interpreting the sequence.

The term "along the road or carriageway" or "along a road or carriageway" as used herein means on the road or adjacent to the road or its carriageway for example.

As used herein the term "and/or" means "and" or "or", or both.

As used herein "(s)" following a noun means the plural and/or singular forms of the noun.

The term "comprising" as used in this specification [and claims] means "consisting at least in part of". When interpreting statements in this specification [and claims] which include that term, the features, prefaced by that term in each statement, all need to be present but other features can also be present. Related terms such as "comprise" and "comprised" are to be interpreted in the same manner. The entire disclosures of all applications, patents and publications, cited above and below, if any, are hereby incorporated by reference.

This invention may also be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, and any or all combinations of any two or more of said parts, elements or features, and where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which this invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.

It is intended that reference to a range of numbers disclosed herein (for example, 1 to 10) also incorporates reference to all rational numbers within that range (for example, 1, 1.1, 2, 3, 3.9, 4, 5, 6, 6.5, 7, 8, 9 and 10) and also any range of rational numbers within that range (for example, 2 to 8, 1.5 to 5.5 and 3.1 to 4.7) and, therefore, all sub-ranges of all ranges expressly disclosed herein are hereby expressly disclosed. These are only examples of what is specifically intended and all possible combinations of numerical values between the lowest value and the highest value enumerated are to be considered to be expressly stated in this application in a similar manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1: is a flow chart to explain one method of restoring a flushed bitumen road;

Figure 2: is a flow chart to explain another method of restoring a flushed bitumen road;

Figure 3: is a perspective rear view of an example of an apparatus for restoring a flushed bitumen road;

Figure 4: is a bottom view of the example of the apparatus of Figure 3;

Figure 5: is a close-up perspective rear view of an example of a heater module; Figure 6A: is a bottom perspective view of an example of a heater unit;

Figure 6B: is a top perspective view of the example of a heater unit of Figure

6A;

Figure 7: is a perspective front view of an example of an aggregate module;

Figure 8: is a perspective front view of the example of an aggregate module of Figure 7 with the front and left side wall thereof hidden from view;

Figure 9: is a perspective view of an example of a flue;

Figure 10: is a perspective rear view of the example of an apparatus of

Figure 3 showing notional endless trails thereof;

Figure 11: is a perspective rear view of the example of an apparatus of

Figure 3 showing the heater modules thereof in their stowed condition.

Figure 12: is a schematic view of the creep drive system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a method of restoring a flushed bitumen road or carriageway, an apparatus for the same, and associated systems. In a preferred embodiment the present invention relates to a method and apparatus of restoring one of both flushed bitumen wheel tracks that may be found on roads or carriageway. Such may be located in corners or bends of the road and in particular it is the outside wheel tracks that may be more flushed than the inside wheel tracks due to such experiencing more wear from car and truck tyres. The flushed bitumen wheel track regions may also extend along straight sections of road. The wheel track regions are parallel regions on the road surface where the left and right wheels of vehicles are in contact with the road surface as they drive along the road. Whilst each successive vehicle may not drive along the exact same path along the road and not each such vehicle may have the same wheel base width, on average the left side wheels of vehicles driving on a road will be within a range of a first width sections of the road or road lane width the right side wheels of vehicles driving on the road will be withing a range of a second width section of the road or road lane. Such sections are herein referred to as the wheel track regions. Such will be wider than the width of any given wheel driving on the road because of the fact that the wheel track regions are created by a plurality of wheel passes not all traveling the same path over the road.

The present invention comprises of or is carried by a vehicle such as a truck, to allow selective restoration of (i) one or (ii) the other or (iii) both wheel tracks to be restored as the truck drives along a lane of a section of road that comprises flushed bitumen.

Where "[a/the/said] flushed bitumen road or carriageway" is used herein, it refers generally to a road or carriageway, being examples of transport surface atop which vehicles (whether public or private) and the like travel which has been chipsealed or spraysealed (i.e., comprises bitumen, or binder, and aggregate held in place by said bitumen) and at least which part of exhibits a migration of the bitumen binder to the upper road or pavement surface and/or a migration of the aggregate downward beneath the surface eg, bitumen flushing/bleeding as is known in the art.

Bitumen is distinct from asphalt and the present invention is not about restoring asphalt surfaces.

It will be appreciated that in some cases, only some length of a total length of said road or carriageway may exhibit flushed bitumen. Likewise, and as already mentioned in relation to wheel track regions, only partial lateral width or width sections of the road or carriageway may exhibit flushed bitumen.

Moreover, when "a surface of the road or carriageway" is used herein, it generally refers to the upper-most surface atop which vehicles and the like travel, visible to a notional above-ground viewer of said road or carriageway. However, the term "surface" and like terms used herein will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art as also potentially encompassing a certain 'depth' into the road or carriageway i.e., below/beneath said "uppermost" surface, as many roads or carriageways do not necessarily present a consistent plana r/flat surface and even less so when exhibiting flushed bitumen which may often result in un-even upper surfaces of a road or carriageway. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that often said surface is composed of said bitumen and/or aggregate, and so where "depth" of said surface is referred to herein it may encompass a depth of binder/aggregate forming the road or carriageway surface.

Thus, the corresponding "restoration" or "restoring" (or like terms such as rehabilitation or remedying) of a flushed bitumen road or carriageway to which the invention relates may generally refer to at least a partial reduction in the road or carriageway's exhibiting of flushed bitumen. This may comprise at least a partial correction and/or adjustment of any one or more of, for example:

• this disparity between a migration of the bitumen binder upward and/or a migration of the aggregate downward,

• a volume or surface area spread of bitumen binder and/or a volume or surface area spread of aggregate,

• a depth into the road or carriageway that said bitumen binder extends or reaches, a depth into the road or carriageway that said aggregate extends or reaches and/or a ratio of those depths,

• a depth or extent of the receipt of at least some of the aggregate into the road or carriageway and/or below the surface thereof,

• depth or extent of the receipt of at least some of the aggregate into the bitumen binder so comprising the road or carriageway and/or the surface thereof.

A first example of a method of restoring a flushed bitumen road or carriageway will now be described. This method 1000 is represented by the block diagram in Figure 1 and comprising generally the steps of: a. heating (i.e. heating step 1002) at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway along a length of said road or carriageway from an ambient temperature to about a first target temperature range 1002A, b. distributing (i.e. distribution step 1004) aggregate (a primary dose of such) onto at least part of the surface along said length of said road or carriageway that has been heated, and c. compacting (i.e. compacting step 1006) at least some of said aggregate into the road or carriageway at least partially below said surface along said length of said road or carriageway.

The heated bitumen may then be allowed to cool reliant on ambient conditions.

The heating (of heating step or stage 1002) of at least part of the surface of said road or carriageway promotes at least partial receipt of at least some of said aggregate into the road or carriageway.

This is due in part to the softening or partial "melting" of the flushed bitumen binder, (i.e. where the application of heat changes the state of the initially solid binder to a more viscous or more liquid state) which allows the aggregate applied onto the road surface to more easily "sink" at least partially into the binder such that the binder is corrected back from its flushed condition into its intended role of retaining, binding or holding the aggregate in place/position, at/above and/or partially below said surface of the road, such that the aggregate serves its intended role of providing friction i.e., anti-skid properties to the road or carriageway.

In other words, said heating step 1002 of at least part of the surface promotes the ability of the road or carriageway to at least partially receive said aggregate to at least partially below its surface.

The compacting step or stage 1006 then provides an intentional movement or forcing downward of the aggregate at least partially into the softened bitumen i.e., at least partially below said surface along said length of said road or carriageway.

A number of measurements or parameters may be determined in relation to the extent of receipt of the aggregate into the binder, after compaction, that provides an ideal road surface. This may be influenced by a number of factors, such as local law or regulations, the expected traffic volume and weight upon the road, environmental factors (i.e., typical heat and humidity of the surrounding area), properties of the aggregate used, and/or properties of the existing bitumen/aggregate of the road prior to restoration.

However, in a preferred embodiment, compacting step or stage 1006 is performed such that about 1/3 ^rd to about 2/3 ^rd of an average smallest dimension of at least some of said aggregate is embedded below said surface of the road or carriageway.

More preferably, 2/3 ^rd of an average smallest dimension of at least some of said aggregate is embedded below said surface of the road or carriageway.

It will also be appreciated that measurements or parameters in relation to heating step 1002 and/or distribution step 1004 may also be defined by a desired or idealised road surface that itself may be influenced by a number of factors such as those described above.

Preferably, heating step 1002 will generally be performed such that the first target temperature range 1002A ranges from about 120 °C to about 160 °C.

More preferably, the ideal target temperature of the road surface that heating step 1002 will achieve is about 130 °C.

It will be appreciated that where target temperatures or target temperature ranges are specified herein in relation to the road surface, said temperatures specified encompass a reasonable level of tolerance both above and below the value given, since an increase or reduction in the temperature reached may occur over time due to environmental or ambient conditions outside the control of those applying the teachings herein.

Further, those target temperature ranges may be adjusted depending on the measured properties of the road, where a flushed bitumen road having a higher existing aggregate content may be heated to higher temperatures than a flushed bitumen road having lower existing aggregate content for example.

Moreover, certain grades of aggregate, sizes of aggregate, a given spread of aggregate (meters squared per meter-length of road, or ratio of surface-area covered versus some dimension of the road such as length or width or both etc.) and/or volume/weight of aggregate distributed may also all be specified as target parameters of the distribution steps described herein, so as to provide an ideal road surface after restoration.

It will be appreciated that where 'distribution' of aggregate is referred to herein, it is preferably intended to encompass any partial spread of a dose of aggregate across at least part of the surface area of at least part of the length of a road or carriageway. Some flushed bitumen roads may not necessitate complete coverage of aggregate, but may only require a certain density spread onto the surface thereof.

Figure 1 also shows several optional steps that may be applied in the example method 1000, such as secondary heating step 1008, wherein prior to and/or during compacting step 1006, a further heating of at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway is performed to a second target temperature range 1008A.

In a preferred embodiment, secondary heating step 1008 is performed preferably prior to compacting step 1006 and after distribution step 1004.

Preferably the second target temperature range 1008A ranges from about 150 °C to about 190 °C.

The ideal target temperature of the road surface that secondary heating step 1008 will achieve is about 170 °C.

Performing further heating of the already-heated road surface after the aggregate has been spread thereon (i.e., performing secondary heating step 1008 prior to compacting step 1006 and after distribution step 1004) may further promote, enhance and/or facilitate the ability of the road or carriageway to at least partially receive said aggregate to at least partially below its surface, and may thus result in enhanced restoring of said road or carriageway.

Heating of both heating step 1002 and optional secondary heating step 1008 may both be performed by application of heat from the same or different heat source(s), as for example will hereinafter be described in relation to an example apparatus 100. Because the apparatus of the present invention is preferably carried out utilising a vehicle such as truck that travels along the carriageway in a single pass to progressively restore at least parts of the carriageway as the truck moves there along, control of the heat source(s) in heating the bitumen (in relation to vehicle speed) is desirably. Whilst a steep ramp up to the target temperature of the bitumen may seem desirable from a speed of restoration point of view, it has been found that if bitumen is heated too fast in order to get it to the ideal target temperature, the bitumen may be compromised and/or not be in a condition well suited to receive the aggregate. For example subjecting bitumen to high intensity heat over a short duration may only heat the bitumen very superficially. It may also overheat some of the bitumen and underheat other parts of the bitumen. Such may cause the bitumen to become brittle and/or unsuitable for adequate receipt of the aggregate and/or may otherwise degrade or compromise the road surface.

Subjecting the bitumen to a more shallow ramp up in temperature, such as by reducing the heat applied over a longer duration helps to reduce heat stress in the bitumen.

Likewise, distribution step 1004 may be performed by a suitable device or apparatus for dispensing aggregate onto the road surface, as for example will hereinafter be described in relation to an example apparatus 100.

Heating step 1002, optional secondary heating step 1008 and/or distribution step 1004 may all be performed by an apparatus travelling along said length of said road or carriageway, preferably at a speed of between about 4 meters per minute to about 15 meters per minute whilst it is performing the restoration operation.

An example of an example apparatus 100 that may perform these functions and travel as such will be described in further detail below.

In other examples of the method of restoring a flushed bitumen road or carriageway, distribution step 1004 may provide the heating specified in heating step 1002 of the surface to said first target temperature range 1002A. This may be achieved by heating the aggregate prior to its distribution in distribution step 1004, such that its spreading atop the surface of the road consequently heats up and softens the bitumen as desired for at least partial receipt of the spread aggregate.

In other words, some example methods may combine heating step 1002 and distribution step 1004 into a single combined step 1010 of distributing heated aggregate onto at least part of the surface along said length of said road or carriageway to thereby heat said at least part of the surface of said road or carriageway from an ambient temperature to about a first target temperature range 1002A.

In such embodiment methods, a further optional distribution step 1012 of heated or non-heated aggregate may be performed after this combined step 1010, with secondary heating step 1008 optionally performed thereafter, and prior to compacting step 1006.

In some embodiments, at least some of the aggregate is heated prior and/or during its distribution onto the surface of the road, and may be provided at, or heated to a temperature range that ranges from about 120 °C to about 160 °C.

This may occur as part of combined step 1010 of distributing heated aggregate as described above.

This may also occur as part of distribution step 1004 of example method 1000, where heating step 1002 is performed first, followed by distribution step 1004 modified such that aggregate heated as above is distributed.

In addition, a further optional preparation distribution step 1014 may be performed prior to any of the method steps described so far being carried out (i.e., before initial heating step 1002 and/or combined step 1010), where said optional distribution step 1014 consists of distributing aggregate onto at least part of the surface along said length of said road or carriageway, to provide a frictional intermediate layer of aggregate between the surface of the road and the movement means (i.e., wheels, tracks etc.) of any vehicle or apparatus performing or carrying out the methods described herein. This can be especially useful in preventing heated, viscous bitumen from sticking to for example the rubber tyres of a wheeled vehicle (such as the example apparatus 100 described in further detail below). Heating of a flushed bitumen surface (whether in heating step 1002, optional secondary heating step 1008 and/or combined step 1010) may help to partially soften and/or partially "liquefy" the flushed bitumen, and therefore:

• re-distribute its volume more evenly across the surface of the road but also depth-wise into the depth of the road, therefore also allowing: o a movement and corresponding evening out of any existing aggregate that has migrated downwards (i.e., allowing said downwardly migrated aggregate to 'float' upwards through the partially liquefied bitumen), o a movement and corresponding evening out of any aggregate newly distrusted onto the road,

• as well as promoting, facilitating and/or enhancing: o at least partial receipt of at least some of said aggregate into the road or carriageway, o the ability of the road or carriageway to at least partially receive said aggregate to at least partially below its surface, and/or o the appropriate ideal depth that said aggregate is embedded below said surface of the road or carriageway.

Each of these benefits may also be realised in the many variations of the method or method steps descried above that may be envisaged by those skilled in the art in the restoration of a flushed bitumen road, such as additional heating steps, additional aggregate distribution steps, or compaction steps, and the like.

However, a preferred example method 2000 is shown in Figure 2 which comprises the steps of the first example method 1000 described above, as well as additional optional steps described above, in the following order: a. distributing a first or precursor dose of aggregate to at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway along a length of said road or carriageway (preparation distribution step 1014, where said distribution provides a frictional intermediate layer of aggregate for movement means travelling along said road), b. heating at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway along said length of said road or carriageway from an ambient temperature to a first target temperature range 1002A of about 120 °C to about 160 °C, targeting more specifically 130 °C (heating step 1002), c. distributing a second or primary dose of aggregate to at least part of the surface along said length of said road or carriageway that has been heated (distribution step 1004), d. heating at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway along said length of said road or carriageway to a second target temperature range 1008A of about 150 °C to about 190 °C, targeting more specifically 170 °C (secondary heating step 1008), and e. compacting at least some of the aggregate into the road or carriageway at least partially below said surface along said length of said road or carriageway (compacting step 1006).

The steps of the preferred example method 2000 above are preferably performed and/or configured to together provide a restored road or carriageway where about 1/3 ^rd to about 2/3 ^rd of an average smallest dimension of at least some of said aggregate is embedded below said surface of the road or carriageway, more specially, 2/3 ^rd of an average smallest dimension of at least some of said aggregate is embedded below said surface of the road or carriageway.

The subjecting of the bitumen to two heating phases (at 1002 and 1008) helps to distribute the heat loading. The heater(s) for heating phase 1002 can be separately controlled from the heater(s) of the heating phase 1008. This allows for the heat transfer to the bitumen be adjusted separately at two separate spaced apart locations on the vehicle 102 providing greater control over the process than if only one heater was provided.

An example apparatus 100 for facilitating the restoration of a surface of a flushed bitumen road or carriageway will now be described with reference to Figures 3 to 11. The example apparatus 100 may be used to carry out one or more of the step(s) of the example method(s) 1000, 2000 described above, so as to provide a multi-function apparatus for performing at least part of the restoration of a flushed bitumen road or carriageway.

The apparatus 100, shown in Figure 3, comprises a prime mover 102 able to travel along the road or carriageway. The apparatus 100 also comprises of a workstation 110 towed by or part of or otherwise able to move with and by the prime mover 102, along the road or carriageway.

Here, the prime mover 102 is shown comprising a truck 104, i.e., a single-cab truck with an internal combustion engine i.e., diesel, petrol or electric-motor powered truck, for instance.

In the embodiment shown, the workstation 1 10 is part of the prime mover 102 i.e., part of or defined by a rearward supporting surface of the truck 104, where eight-wheels are provided at rear of said truck 104 to support the workstation 110 and to also propel the apparatus 100 as a whole (i.e., the truck 104 may be a rear-wheel drive configuration), and two wheels are provided at the front of said truck to support the cab and steer the apparatus 100 as a whole.

However, other embodiments may be envisaged, where the workstation comprises of a platform, such as a trailer with passive non-driven wheels, steerable and towed by the prime mover, such as a truck or other automotive vehicle, where the workstation can thus pivot relative said prime mover. In a preferred form a vehicle is used that has a chassis with left and right sides wheels, driven by an engine or motor of the vehicle. The vehicle is preferably a truck having a chassis and truck body.

The truck is able to move over ground in a transport mode and in a restoration mode. In the restoration mode, the truck is facilitating the restoration of the road as herein described whereas in the transport mode the truck may be moving between restoration sites and/or between a restoration site and truck depot. In the transportation mode, the elements of the workstation 110 used during restoration are idle and/or in a stowed condition and the truck can move at a faster speed compared to its operational speed when the truck is in the restoration mode.

The workstation 110 comprises a first heater module 200 for heating at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway along a length of said road or carriageway, and an aggregate module 300 for distributing aggregate onto at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway and along said length of said road or carriageway. The first heater module is located more advanced of the aggerate module when the truck is moving in the forward direction. The first heater module and aggerate module are preferably located intermediate of a pair advanced more side by wheels 3001 (only one of the pair shown in figure 3) and a pair of trailing side by wheels 3002 (only one of the pair shown in figure 3). This ensures that the depositing of aggregate onto the road from the aggerate mode occurs before the trailing side by side wheels drive over that deposited aggregate. This helps at leas in part the compacting of the aggregate by the trailing wheels but also ensures that the bitumen heated by the heater module 200 is not contacted by the trailing wheels prior to the aggregate being deposited. This may otherwise quench the bitumen, and/or cause bitumen to stick to the tyres both of which are an undesirable state of affairs.

The example apparatus 100 shown in Figures 3 to 11 also comprises an optional second heater module 400 for heating at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway along a length of said road or carriageway.

Generally, the first heater module 200 is arranged as part of the workstation 110 in a location forward of the aggregate module 300, and the second heater module 400, if so provided, is arranged as part of the workstation 110 in a location rearward of the aggregate module 300, as shown in Figure 3.

By being so arranged, where the heater module(s) 200, 400 and the aggregate module 300 are all in-line in the direction of travel (i.e., adjacently forward or rearward one another), and supported by a workstation 110 that is steered and moved with the prime mover 102, the example apparatus 100 can be configured such that the heating of at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway and the distributing of aggregate onto at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway both at least partly occur substantially within a notional footprint 110A of the workstation 110 and in a direction of travel of the prime mover 102 along the road or carriageway. Therefore, the step(s) of the method(s) described herein may be carried out by the apparatus 100, as the prime mover 102 travels in a linear direction along the road or carriageway, with the heater module(s) 200, 400 and the aggregate module 300 moving with and behind the prime mover 102, and preferably elevated above a surface of the road or carriageway so as to provide heating and aggregate distribution onto the road as part of and while the apparatus 100 moves along the road.

In this manner, the notional footprint 110A of the workstation 110, at least in example apparatus 100, may be understood as the area generally underneath the elevated workstation 110, said notional footprint 110A thereby encompassing a heat application area and/or aggregate distribution area, that moves along the road in concert with and 'behind' the prime mover 102.

However, in other example of the apparatus 100, the notional footprint of the workstation may not compass the entirety or any of the heat application area and/or aggregate distribution area, such as when said module(s) are positioned and/or movable laterally or forwardly/rearwardly relative the workstation, such that said heat application area and/or aggregate distribution area is not necessarily within the notional footprint of the workstation but instead at least partly outside it. This will be described in further detail below in reference to the heater module(s) 200, 400, where the heat source(s) thereof may be deployable to a position slightly laterally external the workstation 110, such that heating is applied substantially within and/or at least partly outside a notional footprint of the workstation 110.

However, even in such embodiments, the heat application area and/or aggregate distribution area may still be at least adjacent and parallel with the direction of travel of the prime mover and preferably move with it to enact restoration of the road or carriageway as the apparatus moves along said road or carriageway. Thus, there may be provided a substantially standalone and multi-function apparatus 100 that can perform restoration of a flushed bitumen road, with a reduced need for pausing, or reliance on external workers, operators or vehicles/equipment to restore said flushed bitumen road or carriageway.

The first heater module 200 comprises of at least one heater unit 202. The heater unit 202 may be configured for movement to, from and/or between a stowed position located substantially within said workstation (as shown in Figure 11) and/or a notional footprint 110A thereof, and a deployed position (as shown in Figures 3 and 4) located substantially beneath said workstation 110 and at least partly outside of said workstation and/or a notional footprint thereof.

The deployed position is provided for presenting a heating surface 204 of the heater unit 202 for heating of the surface of the road or carriageway, more specifically, presenting said heating surface 204 in a substantially downward and coplanar orientation relative said surface of the road or carriageway for heating thereof.

More preferably, and as shown in Figure 4 in their deployed position(s), the first heater module 200 may comprise of two heater units disposed 202A, 202B that may each be substantially at the flanks of said workstation 110.

Both of these are shown deployed in Figures 3 and 4 and may comprise radiant heater element(s) 206A, 206B configured to emit heat energy, that are presented in a substantially downward and coplanar orientation relative said surface of the road or carriageway. The heater elements have a radiant heat surface or surfaces (this may be of sheet metal for example) that may be heated internally by a flame. The radiant heat surface or surfaces will radiate heat to the bitumen adjacent.

The use of a radiant heater (as opposed to an open flame directly exposed to the bitumen) is that the heat radiated is able to be better controlled and adjusted over a greater temperature range. This ensures better control over the heat transferred and temperature change profile of the bitumen. Also shown in Figures 3 and 4 is the second heater module 400 that may be configured in a similar manner to the first heater module 200, where like features are indicated by the numeric addition of 200, in that it comprises of two heater units disposed 402A, 402B substantially at the flanks of said workstation 110, each also configured for movement to, from and/or between a stowed position located substantially within said workstation and/or a notional footprint 110A thereof, and a deployed position (as shown in Figures 3 and 4) located substantially beneath said workstation 110 and at least partly outside of said workstation and/or a notional footprint thereof, and each comprising radiant heater element(s) 406A, 406B configured to emit heat energy, that when in their deployed positions as shown, are presented in a substantially downward and coplanar orientation relative said surface of the road or carriageway.

It will thus be appreciated that both heater modules 200, 400 and their heater units 202, 402 may be configured in a similar manner to provide deployable and stowable heating surfaces 204, 404 for heating of the surface of the road or carriageway.

The first heater modules preferably operate in line with the second heater modules to heat and reheat the same surface of surfaces of the road as the truck travels along the road.

With reference to the example methods 1000, 2000 described above, it will be appreciated that the first heater module 200, being provided forward the aggregate module 300, may be used to perform the first heating step 1002 to heat the surface of the road from an ambient temperature to about a first target temperature range 1002A, where the optional second heater module 400, being optionally provided rearward the aggregate module 300, may be used to perform the optional secondary heating step 1008 preferably after the distribution step 1004 being performed by the aggregate module 300. The second heater module may be supported by the truck body at the trailing end of the truck body so that it is located behind the rear most wheels. Hence in a preferred from the first heater module and the second heater module may be separated from each other with at least one (and as shown in figure 3, two) pairs of side by side road wheels of the truck. Thus, the order and positioning of the module(s) 200, 300, 400 of the example apparatus 100 shown coincides with the order of steps or stages of the example methods 1000, 2000 described above. As the vehicle in the restoration mode, travelling forwards, travels over the road, parts of the road in the path of the vehicle are progressively and sequentially presented for the module(s) 200, 300, 400.

As shown in Figure 4, the heater units 202A, 202B of the first heater module 200 are generally longer (along a forward/rearward longitudinal axis of the apparatus 100) than the heater units 402A, 402B of the second heater module 400.

This may be to provide a larger heating application area of the first heater module 200 compared to the second heater module 400, in part since heating from ambient temperatures (i.e., anywhere from about 0 °C to about 40 °C) to the first target temperature range 1002A of about 120 °C to about 160 °C, may require a greater heat input than heating the already-heated surface at said first target temperature range 1002A to the second target temperature range 1008A of about 150 °C to about 190 °C.

If and when said optional second heater module 400 is provided, other differences between the heating units 202, 402 of the two module(s) 200, 400 that may be employed for provide further differences in heat application or spread, such as wider/longer heating surfaces 204, 404 and the like.

In a preferred format heater unit 202A is preferably spaced apart from heater unit 202B. The spacing is such that heater unit 202A can heat one wheel track of the carriageway and heater unit 202B can heat he other wheel track of the carriageway.

In a preferred format heater unit 406A is preferably spaced apart from heater unit 406B . The spacing is such that heater unit 406A can heat one wheel track of the carriageway and heater unit 406B can heat he other wheel tract of the carriageway.

However, at least for example apparatus 100, many similarities may be drawn between the configuration of the heater module(s) 200, 400. Thus, reference will now be made to Figures 5 and 6 which show aspects of the second heater module 400 in detail, where details of said second heater module's 400 features and/or configuration described below may apply equally to the features and/or configuration of the first heater module 200.

For instance, Figure 5 shows an example deployment mechanism 420 of the second heater module 400. The deployment mechanism 420 may comprise of a support frame 422, or rather, two support frames 422A, 422B for supporting each of the two heater units 402A, 402B. These support frames 422A, 422B are retractable/extendable by way of translation actuators 424A, 424B.

In the deployed position shown in Figure 5 these support frames 422A, 422B are retractable/extendable, and thereby movable in the vertically i.e., upward and downward, relative the workstation 110, by way of said translation actuators 424A, 424B.

This upward and downward movement of the two heater units 402A, 402B may be used to adjust the extent of heat application provided by the second heater module 400, by changing the vertical proximity of the heat source to the surface of the road, as will be described in further detail below.

The heater units may be positioned in a manner to allow heating of only parts of the width of the carriageway. In some instances the present invention may only be used for the restoring of the wheel track of tracks of the surface of the carriageway. Such may be generally in line (and to some extend also laterally located) with the road wheels of the truck as the truck drives along the carriageway. Heater unit 202A and 406A are in-line with each other to heat or to selectively the same wheel track region of the carriageway as the truck drives along the carriageway. Likewise, heater unit 202B and 406B are in-line with each other to heat or selectively heat the same wheel track region of the carriageway as the truck drives along the carriageway. The heater units may each be individually controlled for heating the surface of the carriageway so that in places where restoration is not required, the heaters and the depositing or aggregate in such places can be stopped. At any given location along the carriageway, one wheel track can be so restored whilst the other wheel track may not be, or may receive less or more heating and/or aggregate as may be required or desired compared to the other. As such more efficient use of energy (to heat the bitumen) and aggerate can be achieved compared to a blanket coverage regardless of the need for surface restoration. This will help reduce emissions and costs.

Also shown in Figure 5 are pivoting actuators 426A, 426B, provided and configured to move the support frames 422A, 422B to and from their substantially vertical orientation when deployed, as shown in Figure 5, to a substantially horizontal orientation when stowed, as shown in Figure 11.

These pivoting actuators 426A, 426B are supported by a platform 110B of the workstation 110 so as to move the support frames 422A, 422B and thus the two heater units 402A, 402B to and from their deployed and stowed positions.

Thus, the example deployment mechanism 420 of the second heater module 400, by virtue of at least pivoting actuators 426A, 426B, if not also by virtue of the translation actuators 424A, 424B, may be configured to move the two heater units 402A, 402B to and from their deployed and stowed positions.

Other example deployment mechanisms may be used employing for instance gears, tracks, pivoting/articulated linkages, or any other suitable mechanical means for moving the two heater units 402A, 402B from stowed positions within the workstation 110 to deployed positions for presenting heating surfaces 404A, 404B in a substantially downward and coplanar orientation relative said surface of the road.

As can be seen in Figure 3, at least part of a similarly configured deployment mechanism 220 of the first heater module 200 can be seen, also comprising support frame(s) 222A, 222B, translation actuators 224A, 224B and pivoting actuators 226A, 226B. This deployment mechanism 220 may act to move the two heater units 202A, 202B from stowed positions to deployed positions in the same or similar manner to deployment mechanism 420 described above. Figure 6A shows a bottom view of the heater unit 402A of the second heater module 400, where the radiant heater element 406A may be configured to emit heat energy comprises a planar surface 408A and a plurality of thin elongate fins 411 A extending therefrom along a width and/or length of said planar surface 408A.

This radiant heater element 406A may emit heat energy in the many ways known in the art of radiant heaters, with the thin elongate fins 411 A acting to distribute radiated heat more efficiently and evenly.

In some examples, the heater unit may comprise a plurality of discrete burners configured to each emit an open flame, and positioned within the walls of the radiant heater element, such that heat is emitted by said burner(s) together with and/or instead of heat emitted by the planar surface of the radiant heater element.

In such embodiments, the planar surface and plurality of elongate fins may still assist in distributing radiated heat more efficiently and evenly.

Moreover, some embodiments of the heater units may be fully enclosed with a bottom plate covering an entirety of the radiant heater element, so as to enclose open flame(s) emitted by the burner(s) from the external environment.

In such embodiments, heat emitted by the burner(s) may transfer to said bottom plate such that said bottom plate emits the heat of the heater unit to the road surface.

The walls of the radiant heater element and/or the bottom plate, when provided, may protect the heater element from wind and/or environmental factors.

The radiant heater element 406A may be powered by a fuel source comprising liquid petroleum gas (LPG), petrol, diesel and/or at least one electric battery housed by or part of or otherwise able to move with the workstation 110.

In the example apparatus 100 shown, radiant heater element 406A may be powered by diesel, and thus may be said to be a diesel radiant heater. A burner may be located inside the heater units for facilitating the combustion of the fuel. The burner may be controlled to control the burn rate to thereby control the temperature of the radiant heater element. This may be done via a feedback loop involving a temperature sensor so that the radiant heater elements can operate at the desired temperature settings. The burner may be controlled in a pulsed manner to so control the temperature of the radiant heater element.

Shown in Figure 6B is an exhaust unit 450A, where respective exhaust unit 450B of the heater unit 402B is shown for example in Figure 5. It should be noted that exhaust units may also be provided for the heater units 202A, 202B of the first heater module 200, but are hidden from view in Figures 3, 9, 10 and 11.

The features and functions of exhaust unit 450A as will below be described in relation to heater unit 402A, may apply equally to the features and functions of the other exhaust units of the other heater units 202A, 202B, 402B described herein.

Generally, the exhaust unit 450A is shown comprising an outlet 452A, a chamber 454A and a plurality of inlet ducts 456A.

Given the preference for the use of radiant heaters that do not expose naked flame to the road surface (and hence do not vent combustion gasses via a flow path over the road surface direct to the atmosphere) but instead use confined flame to heat the radiant heating surface, the confined flame's combustion gasses need to ducted and vented elsewhere. During operation of the heater unit 402A, heat emitted by the radiant heater element 406A and/or hot combustion may be ducted upwardly through exhaust inlets 458A.

These exhaust inlets 458A are shown in Figure 6A, positioned at the bottom of (i.e., at the planar surface 408A of) said radiant heater element 406A, in between the thin elongate fins 411 A thereof.

Corresponding exhaust inlets 258A, 258B, 458B for heater units 202A, 202B, 402B are also shown in Figure 4 for instance. These exhaust inlets 458A, receive and duct said heat emitted by the radiant heater element 406A and/or hot exhaust fumes/gases and the like through the inlet ducts 456A, to the chamber 454A and then out through the outlet 452A. The radiant heater units or elements preferably have an internal combustion zone where fuel is able to be combusted in a confined manner.

As seen in Figure 5 the outlets 452A, 452B of the exhaust units 450A, 450B extend to join exhaust pipes 510 that extend beneath the aggregate module 300.

Equivalent exhaust pipes 520 are shown in Figures 3 and 10 in a position where they would receive heat emitted and/or hot exhaust fumes/gases from exhaust units 250A, 250B of the heater units 202A, 202B not shown in Figures 3 and 10.

Exhaust pipes 510, 520 extend to exhaust receivers 530 shown positioned in or adjacent (eg beneath) the aggregate module 300 in Figures 7 and 8.

These exhaust receivers 530 are configured to route the heat emitted and/or hot exhaust fumes/gases from heater units 202A, 202B, 402A, 402B and received by exhaust units 250A, 250B, 450A, 450B thereof, to a plurality of aggregate heater pipes 540, shown in Figures 3, 7, 8 and 10.

These plurality of aggregate heater pipes 540 may extend out from the exhaust receivers 530, through and into the aggregate module 300 (aggregate housing 302 thereof as will be described in further detail below).

The hot gasses so ducted to the aggregate module can be used to dry the aggregate in the aggregate housing. The aggregate may be wet or damp and by allowing hot gasses to pass through the aggregate housing to flow over/through the aggregate mass can help to evaporate moisture of the aggregate and drive it out of the aggregate housing. It has been found that aggregate that is damp or wet may bind to the bitumen to be lesser extent of may not embed desirably deep enough into the bitumen.

The hot gasses so ducted to the aggregate module can be used to heat the aggregate in the aggregate housing. The aggregate may be at ambient temperature and by allowing hot gasses to pass through the aggregate housing to flow over/through the aggregate mass can help to elevate the temperature of the aggregate in the aggregate housing. It has been found that aggregate that is preheated before being deposited onto the bitumen can bind better to the bitumen and/or may embed better into the bitumen.

The ducted exhaust/combustion gasses may be isolated from the aggregate by being ducted to an exhaust outlet above the hopper for example. In some embodiments the ducting may include an opening or openings for the exhaust/combustion gasses release from the ducting and into the aggregate mass. In this manner exhaust gasses may pass over the aggregate and contact the aggregate.

Whilst one example is shown in the drawings for a manner of drying and/or heating the aggregate in the aggregate housing, alternative embodiments are envisaged. For example and as described below, a conveyor may be used to transport the aggregate and exhaust ducting may be configured to run along and above the conveyor. For example a single exhaust pipe may run through the hopper longitudinally along and above the conveyor. Preheating of the aggregate may also or instead occur between the hopper and the aggregate being received by the bitumen.

Shown in Figure 7 is an example aggregate module 300 of the example apparatus 100. This aggregate module 300 may, like the heater modules 200, 400, be supported off a platform of the workstation 110. It is generally positioned between the forward first heater module 200 and rearward second heater module 400, so as to distribute aggregate between their respective heating applications.

The aggregate module 300 comprises of an aggregate housing 302 configured to receive or housing, a volume of aggregate (not shown). It is from this volume of aggregate that at least the primary dose of aggregate is derived for the distribution onto the road or carriage way. The precursor dose may also be derived from volume of aggregate. It may comprise of a generally rectangular/cuboid shape, with upwardly extending/vertical walls at its front, rear and sides. It may be open-top, as shown and/or have a closed top with movable/openable means to allow for deposit of additional aggregate into the aggregate housing 302, when so desired.

The front wall 304 and left-side wall of the aggregate housing 302 (where 'front' and 'left' are relative the front of the workstation i.e., in a direction of travel of the truck 104) are shown hidden from view in Figure 8 for clarity, so as to make visible the transfer arrangement 320 of the aggregate module 300.

The aggregate module 302 may comprise of such a transfer arrangement 320 that is configured to receive at least some of said volume of aggregate when so-housed by said aggregate housing 302, and dispense said at least some of said volume (eg as a dose)of aggregate to thereby provide said distribution of aggregate onto at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway.

The transfer arrangement 320 comprises of at least one conveyer mechanism 322 located at or defining a bottom of said aggregate housing 302. As shown in Figure 8 two conveyer mechanisms 322A, 322B are provided, each at flanks/lateral extremities of the aggregate housing 302 and defining a bottom of said aggregate housing 302.

The v-shaped wedge member 306 extending longitudinal along said bottom ensures that any volume of aggregate housed inside the aggregate housing 302 slowly funnels downwardly to either of the two conveyer mechanisms 322A, 322B.

The transfer arrangement 320 also comprises of at least one dispensing mechanism 324 located at a periphery of said aggregate housing 302, i.e., at the forward/front end, as shown in Figure 8 where the front wall 304 of the aggregate housing 302 is hidden from view and two respective dispensing mechanisms 324A, 324B, for each of the two conveyer mechanisms 322A, 322B can be seen.

The two conveyer mechanisms 322A, 322B are shown as rolling endless belt mechanisms in Figure 8 but may otherwise comprise of any suitable rolling belt or track arrangement known in the art. The rolling endless belt conveyer mechanisms 322A, 322B thereby may intermittently or continuously move or propel aggregate at the bottom-most portion of a volume of aggregate forward to two respective dispensing mechanisms 324A, 324B.

In other words, the at least one conveyer mechanism 322 is configured to receive at least some of said volume of aggregate and move it to or towards said at least one dispensing mechanism 324, the at least one dispensing mechanism 324 configured to action an opening 326 that permits distribution of said at least some of said volume of aggregate from said aggregate housing 302.

Two openings 326A, 326B are shown comprising gates being planar vertical plates that can be actuated up and down by gate actuators 328A, 328B to action said openings 326A, 326B.

The rolling or rotation of said conveyer mechanisms 322A, 322B can be coordinated in unison with the actioning of said openings 326A, 326B, to thereby dispense and distribute a desired quantity (whether by volume and/or weight) and/or spread (i.e., surface area or coverage density etc.) of aggregate onto the surface of the road.

Also shown in Figures 7 and 8 are the exhaust receivers 530 shown positioned beneath the aggregate module 300.

As described above, the exhaust receivers 530 are configured to route at least some of the heat emitted and/or hot exhaust fumes/gases from heater units 202A, 202B, 402A, 402B and received by exhaust units 250A, 250B, 450A, 450B, to a plurality of aggregate heater pipes 540, shown in Figures 7 and 8.

These plurality of aggregate heater pipes 540 may extend out from underneath the aggregate hosing 302, up through the v-shaped wedge member 306 described above. This is best seen in Figure 8.

The plurality of aggregate heater pipes 540 may extend across a width of the aggregate module 300 and/or aggregate housing 302, as shown. At least in the embodiment shown, the plurality of aggregate heater pipes 540 do not having any kind of outlet, such that heat emitted and/or hot exhaust fumes/gases from heater units 202A, 202B, 402A, 402B may escape out from the plurality of aggregate heater pipes 540.

Instead, the heat is contained and/or absorbed by the plurality of aggregate heater pipes 540. In other words, the heat may be trapped within the plurality of aggregate heater pipes 540, in particular, in the portion(s) thereof that extend laterally across the width of the aggregate housing 302, as shown.

In some embodiments, the plurality of aggregate heater pipes 540 may thereby emit heat.

In this manner, when the aggregate housing 302 contains a volume of aggregate, said volume of aggregate may absorb at least some of the heat emitted by the plurality of aggregate heater pipes 540.

This may heat at least some of the aggregate of the volume of aggregate contained by the aggregate housing 302.

The plurality of aggregate heater pipes 540 may in other embodiments be arranged in a number of other configurations or layouts.

For example, the plurality of aggregate heater pipes 540 may extend across a length of the aggregate module and/or aggregate housing 302 thereof.

In other embodiments, the heat routed from exhaust units 250A, 250B, 450A, 450B may be routed into the aggregate module and/or aggregate housing 302 thereof by other means.

For instance, the exhaust receivers 530 may extend towards vents, or grates, extending through for example the wall(s) of the aggregate housing 302, such that heat and/or hot exhaust fumes/gases from the exhaust receivers 530 seep out through said vents/grates into the aggregate housing 302. A variety of other methods may be used for routing at least some of the heat emitted and/or hot exhaust fumes/gases from heater units 202A, 202B, 402A, 402B to the aggregate module 300 such that, when said aggregate module 300 comprises a volume of aggregate, said volume of aggregate may be heated prior to and/or during distribution by the aggregate module 300. An exhaust arrangement 500 may thus be provided in some embodiments of the apparatus 100.

Said exhaust arrangement 500 may be configured to route at least some of the heat emitted by heating of at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway along a length of said road or carriageway to the aggregate module 300.

In some embodiments, said heat emitted may comprise heat emitted by heater modules 200, 400 and/or heater units 202A, 202B, 402A, 402B thereof.

In some embodiments, said heat emitted may comprise exhaust fumes/gases generated by the heating of at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway along a length of said road or carriageway.

In some embodiments, said exhaust arrangement 500 may be configured to recycle any one or more of: at least some of the heat emitted generated by heating of at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway, at least some of the heat emitted by the first heater module, at least some of the heat emitted by the second heater module, at least some of the heat emitted by the at least one heater unit, and/or at least some of the hot exhaust fumes/gases generated by the heating of at least part of a surface of the road or carriageway, for use in heating at least some of the volume of aggregate when so received and/or contained by the aggregate module.

Said exhaust arrangement 500 may comprise of exhaust units 250, 450, (including outlets 252, 452, chambers 254, 454, pluralities of inlet ducts 256, 456, exhaust inlets 258, 458), exhaust pipes 510, 520, exhaust receivers 530 and/or plurality of aggregate heater pipes 540, all as described above. As shown in Figure 9 the aggregate module 300 may also comprise of flues 330A, 330B located at said front wall 304 of the aggregate housing 302, beneath where said openings 326A, 326B are located, to downwardly guide dispensed aggregate and distribute it accordingly atop the road surface, at least in part based on a configuration (shape/width/length etc.) of corresponding funnels 332A, 322B at the end of said flues 330A, 330B.

These flues 330A, 330B may thereby configured to define a distribution area of the aggregate.

Note part of the flue 330A is shown hidden from Figure 3, 9, lO and 11, however funnel 332A can be seen.

The flues 330A, 330B, together with the configurations of the overall transfer arrangement 320 and/or specific configurations of the conveyer mechanism(s) 322 and opening(s) 326 thereof may be together configured to define a distribution area of the aggregate (i.e., surface area or coverage density etc.), a quantity of aggregate distributed/dispensed (whether by volume and/or weight), and/or a frequency/timing of such distribution.

Moreover, Figure 9 shows that the width of the funnels 332A, 322B at the end of said flues 330 generally corresponds to the position and width of the heater unit 202B of the first heater module 200, and more generally corresponds to the position and width of all the heater modules 202A, 202B, 402A, 402B of both heater modules, at least when in their deployed positions.

In this manner, one may note that the heat applied and aggregate distributed occur within notional endless trails 140 (illustrated schematically in Figure 9) of the apparatus 100 defined at least partially by a substantially linear direction of travel of the prime mover 102 along the road or carriageway.

Such notional endless trails 140 may also be defined by the configurations of the heater modules 200, 400 and aggregate module 300, as well as more specific aspects of those modules such as the size, shape and/or position of the heater unit(s) when deployed, size, shape and/or position of the conveyer mechanisms 322A, 322B, openings 326A, 326B, flues 330 and/or funnels 332 of said flues 330, and the like.

Given that pairs of heater units are provided as well as pairs of openings, conveyer mechanisms and flues, there will generally be two notional endless trails 140 of the apparatus 100 shown in Figure 10.

Thus, as shown in Figure 10, the apparatus 100 may comprise a notional footprint 110A of the workstation 110, (shown larger in Figure 10 compared to in Figure 3 for illustrative purpose's) defined generally by its size/shape above the road and where said aggregate is distributed and said heat is applied, substantially within and/or at least partly outside this notional footprint 110A.

Moreover, the apparatus 100 may further comprise at least one, or as shown two, notional endless trails 140, defined by direction of travel of the prime mover 102 and the size, shape and/or position of any one or more of: the heater unit(s), the conveyer mechanism(s), opening(s), flue(s) and/or funnel(s) of said flue(s), extending across the direction of travel such that these notional endless trails 140 define the length (i.e. along the road), width (i.e. across the road) and direction of the aggregate distribution and/or heat application.

It will thus be appreciated that the notional endless trails 140, when more than one is provided, may or may not overlap with one another, so as to form a larger/wider notional endless trail through which heat is applied and aggregate distributed.

Moreover, the notional endless trails 140 shown in Figure 10 are illustrative only. While they do not appear to strictly overlap, it will be appreciated that the application of heat and/or distribution of aggregate may slightly overextend past the boundaries indicated by the hyphened-lines of Figure 10, such that the two notional endless trails 140 contribute to a substantially singular notional endless trail extending across a width of the outermost of any one or more of: the heater unit(s), the conveyer mechanism(s), opening(s), flue(s) and/or funnel(s) of said flue(s), The apparatus 100 and its various component(s) may be configured to adjust said notional endless trail(s) 140, to suit the flushed bitumen road being restored. For instance, the width, length and direction of the notional endless trail(s) 140 may be adjusted before or during restoration, to account for areas or patches of flushed bitumen that change in size and position along the length of a given road.

The embodiment apparatus 100 shown in Figures 3 to 11 can thereby perform heating and aggregate application, i.e., any of heating step 1002, distribution step 1004, secondary heating step 1008, combined step 1010, optional distribution step 1012 and/or optional preparation distribution step 1014 described above in relation to example methods 1000, 2000 of restoration of a surface of a flushed bitumen road or carriageway.

However, at least the example apparatus 100 shown in Figures 3 to 11 does not comprise any compaction means for performing compacting step 1006.

If the example apparatus 100 is employed in carrying out example methods 1000, 2000 describe herein, any compaction apparatus or vehicle known in the art of road construction/maintenance may be used, trailing/travelling behind the apparatus 100, so as to compact the aggregate into the heated road surface.

For instance, a pneumatic tyre roller may follow behind the apparatus 100, along the notional endless trail(s) 140, to compact the aggregate into the softened heated bitumen surface, preferably such that after setting/drying, 2/3 ^rd of an average smallest dimension of at least some of said aggregate is embedded below said surface of the road or carriageway.

Alternatively, other forms of the apparatus may comprise an integral compaction means, such as a compaction wheel (i.e., pneumatic tyre roller) mounted rearward the aggregate module 300 (or the secondary heater module 400 when so provided) and/or mounted upon a support surface/platform, such as a trailer, and steerable and towed by and behind the apparatus.

Many forms or layouts of the apparatus may be envisaged with additional aggregate and/or heater modules and/or compaction means, laid in a variety of positions about and along a workstation, so as to provide a independent multi-function apparatus for carrying out at least some if not all the steps described in relation to methods 1000, 2000, or any further steps contemplated by those skilled in the art for further restoration of a surface of a flushed bitumen road or carriageway.

Moreover, it will also be appreciated that multiple apparatus, of the configuration of the example apparatus 100 described above or some other configuration, can be employed in a procession along a road, for restoring a flushed bitumen road or carriageway.

Moreover, a system for restoring a flushed bitumen road or carriageway may also be contemplated, wherein the system may comprise of at least one workstation able to be guided for movement along the road or carriageway and comprising both at least one heater module for heating at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway along a length of said road or carriageway, and an aggregate module for distributing aggregate onto at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway and along said length of said road or carriageway, i.e., at least one workstation having at least a first heater module 200 and at least a aggregate module 300, if not also more heater module(s) 200, 400 and/or further aggregate module(s) 300, the workstation being guided for movement either self-sufficiently (i.e., self-propelled) or towed/moved by and with a prime mover such as a truck.

Alternatively, or additionally, a plurality of workstations, able to be guided for movement along the road or carriageway, may be employed, the plurality of workstations each or together comprising at least one of each of: a heater module for heating at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway along a length of said road or carriageway, and an aggregate module for distributing aggregate onto at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway and along said length of said road or carriageway, i.e., multiple workstations having only either a heater module or a aggregate module, or both or more, each workstation being guided for movement either self-sufficiently (i.e., self-propelled) or towed/moved by and with a prime mover such as a truck. Such a system may also comprise a compactor for compacting at least some of said aggregate into the road or carriageway at least partially below said surface along said length of said road or carriageway.

In such a system, the at least one or plurality of workstations may work together in a successive procession along a road for restoration of a surface of a flushed bitumen road.

When such a system, for example, is employed to perform or carry out the example method 2000 described above, a forward-most lead workstation may comprise an aggregate module so as to perform preparation distribution step 1014, an intermediate workstation behind it may then comprise first and second heater modules 200, 400 and an aggregate module 300 therebetween i.e., be configured as the example apparatus 100 shown in Figures 3 to 11, so as to perform heating step 1002, distribution step 1004 and secondary heating step 1008, and finally, a rearmost trailing workstation comprising compaction means known the art for carrying out compacting step 1006.

The use of the first heater module 200 and the second heater module 400 means that pre and post heating of the carriageway surface can be achieved. Pre being pre the deposition of the aggregate and post being after the aggregate has been deposited. - Pre and post heating allows better process control to be exercised and for productivity increases along with better embedment of the aggregate into the road surface.

The apparatus 100 (or workstation(s) of the system described above) may be moved by the prime mover 102 so as to travel preferably between about 4 meters per minute to about 15 meters per minute, along the road or carriageway, when heating a surface of the road using said heater units 202A, 202B, 402A, 402B.

An aggregate application or distribution rate can be pre-determined, with the rolling speed of conveyer mechanisms 322A, 322B and the actioning of openings 326A, 326B, configured to correlate to the travelling speed of the apparatus 100 (or workstation(s) of the system described above when employing above described aggregate module 300), being preferably between about 4 meters per minute to about 15 meters per minute. The travel speed (ground speed) of the apparatus 100 (or workstation(s) of the system described above) may be adjusted depending on the extent of flushing and/or environmental properties of the road being restored, such as moisture content of said surface, ambient temperature(s) of the surface and/or of ambient environment around the road.

To that end, the apparatus 100 (or workstation(s) of the system described above) may be configured with sensors appropriate for measuring ambient temperature and temperature of the surface of the road and moisture content of the surface of the road, so as to determine the ideal travel speed that ensures the target temperature(s) of the road surface and/or target temperature ranges of the road surface described above are reached.

A method of controlling heat application during restoration of a surface of a flushed bitumen road or carriageway will now be described.

This method may be employed as part of the heating step 1002, secondary heating step 1008 and/or combined step 1010, described above in relation to example methods 1000, 2000, to control heat application during said steps.

Moreover, this method may be employed by the example apparatus 100 described above, other embodiments thereof and/or the workstation(s) of the example system described above or other example systems.

The method of controlling heat application, where said heat application is to be performed (or is being performed) along a length of said road or carriageway, may comprise the steps of measuring at least one property of at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway along at least part of the length of said road or carriageway, and adjusting said heat application to be performed or being performed along a length of said road or carriageway based on the at least one measured property by adjusting one or more of: i. an output temperature or temperature range of a heat source of said heat application relative a target temperature or temperature range of the road surface, ii. a travel speed along said road or carriageway of said heat source, iii. a distance of said heat source relative said surface of said road or carriageway, and/or iv. an application area of said heat application.

For instance, the target temperature(s) or temperature range(s) 1002A, 1008A described above, in relation to the desired road surface temperature reached, may be used to determine the output temperature or temperature range of a heat source of said heat application, such as of the heater unit(s) 202A, 202B, 402A, 402B described above i.e., changing output temperature of heater unit(s) 202A, 202B to say 150 °C so as to achieve a road surface temperature of 130 °C during heating step 1002.

A travel speed along said road or carriageway of said heat source may refer to, for example, the travel speed of the apparatus 100, or workstation(s) of the system described above, being adjusted between about 4 meters per minute to about 15 meters per minute, or some other travel speed, to ensure adequate time is given for heat source(s) to apply heat to a certain portion of the road.

A distance of said heat source relative said surface of said road or carriageway may refer to the vertical proximity of the heat source(s) to the road. This may be for example adjusted by actioning translation actuators 224A, 224B, 424A, 424B when said heater unit(s) 202A, 202B, 402A, 402B are deployed, so as to bring them vertically closer or further i.e., upward or downward relative to the ground surface as the apparatus 100, or workstation(s) of the system described above employing said heater unit(s), move(s) along the road.

Control of the components allows for a heating of the road surface independent of a range of ground speeds as there is adjustability in the system through for example adjusting the proximity of the heaters to the road surface

Finally, an application area of said heat application may be adjusted by varying physical parameters of the heat source(s). For instance, as described above in relation to the notional endless trails 140, notional footprint(s) 110A, and/or heat application area(s), a size, shape and/or position of the heater unit(s) 202A, 202B, 402A, 402B when deployed may be adjusted to increase or decrease the overall size of the heat application area on the road surface.

Moreover, all four of these parameters, being output temperature of a heat source, travel speed of the heat source, a vertical distance/proximity of heat source to the road surface and the application area onto the road surface outputted by said heat source, may together be pre-determined, or continuously adjusted (i.e., using control systems employing feedback loops and outputs from various sensors etc.) during restoration of a flushed bitumen road, to account for various situational properties and/or measured properties of the road itself.

For instance, said at least one measured property of at least part of the surface of the road or carriageway comprises any one or more of: i. an ambient temperature of said surface and/or of ambient environment proximate said surface, ii. a moisture content of said surface, iii. a depth of said road or carriageway, a depth of the flushed bitumen relative said depth of said road or carriageway and/or a depth of aggregate embedded in road or carriageway relative said depth of said road or carriageway, iv. a material composition of the flushed bitumen and/or a viscosity thereof, v. mean texture depth of the surface or carriage way ahead, and/or vi. a material composition of the aggregate embedded in the road or carriageway and/or an average smallest dimension thereof.

Where any one or more of these properties may either be observed (e.g. by human operators prior and/or during restoration), or measured by sensors and the like (prior and/or during restoration), to provide a determination of which of the four adjustments described above (output temperature/travel speed/vertical proximity and/or application area, of heat source) should be made. Control of the components allows for a heating of the road surface independent of a range of ground speeds as there is adjustability in the system through for example adjusting the proximity of the heaters to the road surface.

In the preferred form the vehicle carries the workstation as herein above described so that the vehicle is the mode of transport to the restoration site or sites. This means that the apparatus to perform the restoration does not need to transported by separate means to the restoration site for it to then be employed (separate from the transportation vehicle) for restoration. Hence in the preferred form the vehicle used is inherently road worthy, meeting road user regulations in the country of operation. Components of the invention carried by the vehicle can be packaged within the footprint of what is legally allowed for public road travel (i.e truck width/length). This allows versatile highly mobile vehicles that can travel and work along a road and at multiple sites on a road, independent of a transport truck. The vehicle hence acts as a delivery vehicle as well as vehicle for facilitating the restoration process. The invention can also work within the confines of a single traffic lane providing operation and safety benefits. The foot print of the vehicle is, when in the transportation mode, hence less than 3m wide and preferably less than 2.8m wide, to meet public road use regulations of many countries.

The invention preferably does not provide for full carriageway restoration operations. It preferably does not provide restoration operations for the full width of a lane of the carriageway and instead preferably selective wheel track restoration operations - this selective treatment allows worst parts of the road to be rehabilitated not the entire area, reducing cost, carbon emissions, waste, time and disruption to road users. The selective heating and deposition on aggregate onto the regions of road that are in need of restoration, make this invention more cost effective and efficient in other ways compared to a full road restoration.

The vehicle (e.g. the truck 104) as described above comprises a drive system 4000 that is able to switch the vehicle between a transport mode and a restoration mode, which are each adapted for a different speed range along a road/carriageway. In the restoration mode, the truck 104 facilitates the restoration of the road as herein described and thus moves at a very low and generally constant speed, for example between about 4 meters per minute to about 15 meters per minute. In the transport mode the truck 104 may be moving between restoration sites and/or between a restoration site and truck depot and thus moves at normal road speeds, e.g. in a range of 0-110 km/h but mostly above 60 km/h for a longdistance journey primarily on highways. The speed in the restoration mode can be considered a 'creep speed' in contrast to when the vehicle is in its transportation mode.

The drive system 4000 preferably comprises an internal combustion engine 4001 that powers road wheels 4012 of the vehicle via a conventional drive train (including e.g. transmission 4002, driveshaft 4008, front and rear differentials 4009, 4010, and axles 4011). The internal combustion engine 4001 and drive train may be typical and sized to suit the truck 104 and its load capacity. The internal combustion engine 4001 and the drive train are thus well suited for efficiently driving the truck 104 at high speeds (e.g. mostly above 60 km/h) over long distances (e.g. hundreds or thousands of kilometres) as is characteristic of the transport mode.

Such typical engines and drive trains are however not well suited for causing the vehicle to drive at very slow 'creep speeds' for a long duration as is characteristic of the restoration mode. The drive train may even be incapable of operating at such low speeds. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment as shown by Figure 12, the drive system 4000 of the vehicle powers the road wheels 4012 conventionally in the transportation mode (i.e. via the internal combustion engine 4001 and the conventional drive train), but in the restoration mode the drive system 4000 switches to using the internal combustion engine 4001 to power a hydraulic motor 4004 that provides motive power more effectively at 'creep speeds'. This will now be described in more detail.

To convert from the transportation mode to the restoration mode, preferably a power take-off 4003 of the truck 104 is engaged by the internal combustion engine 4001 or the transmission 4002. The power take-off 4003 drives a hydraulic pump 4005, which in turn supplies hydraulic fluid (preferably oil) to a hydraulic motor 4004. The hydraulic pump 4005 may draw hydraulic fluid from a reservoir 4006. The hydraulic motor 4004 is preferably situated in an intermediate location along the driveshaft 4008, and can propel the truck 104 forwards or backwards independent of the internal combustion engine 4001 or the transmission 4002.

To facilitate operation in the restoration mode, the transmission 4002 is preferably set to neutral while the internal combustion engine 4001 continues to run to provide oil flow from the hydraulic pump 4005 to the hydraulic motor 4004.

Speed in the restoration mode is preferably governed by a controller 4007 within a cabin of the truck 104, for example a Programmable Logic Controller. The controller 4007 may set the speed via a speed control interface with the hydraulic motor 4004 and/or the hydraulic pump 4005. The controller 4007 may receive signals indicative of the current speed of the truck 104 and use this information to implement closed loop control.

Switching between transport and restoration modes as described above allows the vehicle to be more mobile and self-sufficient in that it does not need to be moved to a site by some other transport vehicle. Use of a hydraulic motor 4004 in the restoration mode allows for highly adjustable and controlled 'creep speeds' which may not be achievable by a conventional transmission 4002. Additionally, there is less wear on the mechanical drive train (e.g. the clutch) during operation in the restoration mode.

Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to elements or integers having known equivalents, then such equivalents are included as if they were individually set forth.

Although the invention has been described by way of example and with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and/or improvements may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

In addition, where features or aspects of the invention are described in terms of Markush groups, those skilled in the art will recognise that the invention is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group.