2 ms·

A student startup built something similar for potholes, which i think is a better use of the tech (1). Essentially road repair crews could carry a couple bags o

by hirsin 9y ago

A student startup built something similar for potholes, which i think is a better use of the tech (1). Essentially road repair crews could carry a couple bags of the fluid and drop the bag into a pothole, where it would confirm to the shape of the hole while stiffening on impact from the tires. Unsurprisingly this was invented in Cleveland. 1. http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2012-04/bouncy-thickening-water-powder-mix-could-serve-temporary-pothole-patch http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2012-04/bouncy-thic...

amenod 9y ago
> Unsurprisingly this was invented in Cleveland. For us uninitiated - why? Quality if the roads there?
- astrobase_go 9y ago
  the roads in and around the cleveland metro area have high traffic loads; undergo long periods of fluctuating cold temperatures during the winter; and get nailed periodically by lake-effect snow and ice. as such, they experience lots of freezing and thawing, experience high traffic from lots of tractor trailers and snow plows, and get coated with de-icing materials (salt, or more recently sand-based grit in some areas). synergistically, these conditions are extremely rough on paved roads, so potholes are ubiquitous and painful.
- blackguardx 9y ago
  Another commentor explained how potholes form, but I'll add that Cleveland doesn't have a lot of money and tends to defer maintenance. When I was living there, road signs saying "Steel Plate on Road" were a common sight. I remember the city fixed a water pipe and instead of re-paving the street, they just left several giant 4ft x 8ft steel plates with corresponding sign for over a year.
  - phyllostachys 9y ago
    This is also true for the rest of the areas around Lake Erie, western PA, and probably western NY (I don't have much experience with that area). I live about an hour south of Erie, PA and the road I travel to and from work has needed resurfaced after every winter over the last 3 or 4 years.
- mcdonje 9y ago
  Case Western Reserve University has a good engineering program.
lightbyte 9y ago
Unfortunately this didn't really amount to anything and Cleveland is still plagued by endless potholes.
gambiting 9y ago
So....when you drive a bicycle over it, I assume you fall straight into it then?

by hirsin 9y ago

amenod 9y ago

> Unsurprisingly this was invented in Cleveland. For us uninitiated - why? Quality if the roads there?

astrobase_go 9y ago
the roads in and around the cleveland metro area have high traffic loads; undergo long periods of fluctuating cold temperatures during the winter; and get nailed periodically by lake-effect snow and ice. as such, they experience lots of freezing and thawing, experience high traffic from lots of tractor trailers and snow plows, and get coated with de-icing materials (salt, or more recently sand-based grit in some areas). synergistically, these conditions are extremely rough on paved roads, so potholes are ubiquitous and painful.
blackguardx 9y ago
Another commentor explained how potholes form, but I'll add that Cleveland doesn't have a lot of money and tends to defer maintenance. When I was living there, road signs saying "Steel Plate on Road" were a common sight. I remember the city fixed a water pipe and instead of re-paving the street, they just left several giant 4ft x 8ft steel plates with corresponding sign for over a year.
- phyllostachys 9y ago
  This is also true for the rest of the areas around Lake Erie, western PA, and probably western NY (I don't have much experience with that area). I live about an hour south of Erie, PA and the road I travel to and from work has needed resurfaced after every winter over the last 3 or 4 years.
mcdonje 9y ago
Case Western Reserve University has a good engineering program.

lightbyte 9y ago

Unfortunately this didn't really amount to anything and Cleveland is still plagued by endless potholes.

gambiting 9y ago

So....when you drive a bicycle over it, I assume you fall straight into it then?