BACKGROUND
When mixing concrete, vibration helps to consolidate fresh cementitious mix by reducing the volume of voids, air pockets, and entrapped air, increasing density and strength of the resultant material. However, vibrational consolidation can be overdone, pushing out needed water from the mix. Currently, monitoring concrete to ensure proper vibration application, feed, and materials are carried out by skilled operators. However, this has variability associated with individual operators, resulting in inconsistencies that can set back timeline and increase costs.
SUMMARY OF TECHNOLOGY
Researchers at OSU’s Bert Cooper Structures & Materials Laboratory have created a system to remove the operator variability when consolidating cementitious mixtures. This novel technology can use accelerometers a known distance from the vibrator. Output data indicate in real-time how the concrete is responding and how concrete batches may vary, allowing an operator or the machine itself to adjust the settings or change the input mixture. This enables a more consistent consolidation on every project, translating into superior density and performance of slip form concrete and represents the only known solution to this problem.
POTENTIAL AREAS OF APPLICATION
MAIN ADVANTAGES
STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT