Could you drive over a concrete panel?

[Headless chicken]

Thinking of using a concrete panel on the floor as a temporary feed pad. My thinking is if it works I’d concrete it the next year and just life the panel out

it would dig into the shale so supported all the way. Maybe even beded on sand?
What’s the verdict?

 

[David.]

6" panel yes, 4" no, load-bearing face up.
Given that you intend only to use normal tractor/ loader traffic, not a 50ton crane or something.

 

[biggles]

We had some old 6” panels an odd length been here years, lay them down on the yard base flat to act as shuttering when we concreted they never moved or broke so we concreted up to them a few years later and they are still there and fine, all heavy ag gear over them.

 

[Mur Huwcun]

On the subject of concrete panels could you spec them to be used as a bridge deck? It’s nearly time to replace sleepers on a bridge here once again

 

[upnortheast]

On the subject of concrete panels could you spec them to be used as a bridge deck? It’s nearly time to replace sleepers on a bridge here once again

I would think if you talk to the panel makers they could make them any spec you want

 

[Drago]

On the subject of concrete panels could you spec them to be used as a bridge deck? It’s nearly time to replace sleepers on a bridge here once again

Depends if your bridge will hold the extra weight of the panels?

 

[Tarw Coch]

I would think if you talk to the panel makers they could make them any spec you want

Yes, I’m sure Stuart Jones of Jones Brothers told me he had made panels for this very purpose a few years ago.

 

[Chae1]

We've a standard concrete panel on a bridge. Seems to be holding up fine. Will be carting silage over it next week.

 

[linga]

We've a standard concrete panel on a bridge. Seems to be holding up fine. Will be carting silage over it next week.

Think there is a farm fairly local to here that used a standard panel effectively as a bridge. It broke when someone was on it. Caused serious injuries, much grief, prosecutions etc
Get panels specced properly !

 

[R J]

On the subject of concrete panels could you spec them to be used as a bridge deck? It’s nearly time to replace sleepers on a bridge here once again

We used concrete panels to replace a old bridge that used crossing sleepers ,
Spec'd them 4.5 m long with extra tension wires in , 5 large galvanized rsj's under it,
works fine

 

[Mur Huwcun]

We used concrete panels to replace a old bridge that used crossing sleepers ,
Spec'd them 4.5 m long with extra tension wires in , 5 large galvanized rsj's under it,
works fine

How are they for grip? Can they be got with a rough finish? This bridge has two RSJs under the middle ish and one at either side higher up that the sleepers sit inside if that makes sense.

 

[R J]

How are they for grip? Can they be got with a rough finish? This bridge has two RSJs under the middle ish and one at either side higher up that the sleepers sit inside if that makes sense.

We find it fine for grip , although we have no livestock, so only machinery goes over it ,
We replaced the original steels with 5 new larger ones and now happily cross with combine , 14 ton trailers etc

 

[GeorgeK]

Interestingly (to me at any rate), Soviet airbase runways were all made from precast reinforced concrete slabs that were transported to the site on lorry, they had metal tabs that were welded together to keep them in place. The genius was this allowed them to be constructed quickly in the most remote regions without need for local resources or supply chains.
A couple of pictures from my Mongolia 'holiday'...

 

[snarling bee]

Some Polish motorways are made from them. 3hrs in a minibus with a partial hangover and such construction is not to be recommended.

 

[Mur Huwcun]

Some Polish motorways are made from them. 3hrs in a minibus with a partial hangover and such construction is not to be recommended.

The M54 is not much better either.....

 

[Tarw Coch]

The M54 is not much better either.....

I was thinking the same. ?

 

[steveR]

The M54 is not much better either.....

Well, it's better wher they finally put some tarmac on it!! Thank God!

 

[Chae1]

Think there is a farm fairly local to here that used a standard panel effectively as a bridge. It broke when someone was on it. Caused serious injuries, much grief, prosecutions etc
Get panels specced properly !

Made it!

 

[linga]

Made it!

This time!

 

[steveR]

Made it!

Scrape it clean, then put 8-10" of steel reinforced bridge grade concrete on top. Sorted!!

I'll let you deal with the shuttering....