Measuring paving thickness during slip form paving

A slip form paving machine, comprising:

• a machine frame;
• a plurality of ground engaging wheels or tracks;
• front and rear height adjustable lifting columns supporting the machine frame from the ground engaging wheels or tracks, the lifting columns being adjustable to adjust a height of the machine frame relative to a ground surface;
• a slip form mold supported from the machine frame for molding a mass of concrete into a formed not yet hardened concrete structure as the paving machine moves forward in a paving direction;
• a front height sensor configured to detect a distance of the machine frame from the ground surface ahead of the concrete structure and generate a front height signal;
• a rear height sensor configured to detect a distance of the machine frame from an upper surface of the concrete structure and generate a rear height signal;
• and
• a controller configured to receive the front and rear height signals and to determine a thickness of the concrete structure based at least in part on the front and rear height signals;
• wherein the controller is configured to store data corresponding to the height signals in a computer memory and correlate the data to a location of the machine upon the ground surface;
• wherein the machine includes a string line grade control system;
• and
• wherein the controller is configured to correlate the data to a distance traveled by the machine from a starting location.

A slip form paving machine, comprising:

• a machine frame;
• a plurality of ground engaging wheels or tracks;
• front and rear height adjustable lifting columns supporting the machine frame from the ground engaging wheels or tracks, the lifting columns being adjustable to adjust a height of the machine frame relative to a ground surface;
• a slip form mold supported from the machine frame for molding a mass of concrete into a formed not yet hardened concrete structure as the paving machine moves forward in a paving direction;
• a front height sensor configured to detect a distance of the machine frame from the ground surface ahead of the concrete structure and generate a front height signal;
• a rear height sensor configured to detect a distance of the machine frame from an upper surface of the concrete structure and generate a rear height signal;
• and
• a controller configured to receive the front and rear height signals and to determine a thickness of the concrete structure based at least in part on the front and rear height signals;
• wherein the controller is configured to store data corresponding to the height signals in a computer memory and correlate the data to a location of the machine upon the ground surface;
• wherein the machine includes a three-dimensional grade control system based upon a position of the machine in a reference system external to the machine;
• and
• wherein the controller is configured to correlate the data to the position of the machine in the reference system external to the machine.

A method of operating a slip form paving machine, the machine including:

• a machine frame having a front end and a rear end;
• a plurality of ground engaging wheels or tracks, including at least one left side wheel or track and at least one right side wheel or track;
• front and rear height adjustable lifting columns supporting the machine frame from the ground engaging wheels or tracks, the lifting columns being adjustable to adjust a height of the machine frame relative to a ground surface;
• and
• an inset slip form mold supported from the machine frame between the at least one left side wheel or track and the at least one right side wheel or track for molding a mass of concrete into a formed not yet hardened concrete slab between the at least one left side wheel or track and the at least one right side wheel or track as the paving machine moves forward in a paving direction;
• the method comprising:
• detecting a distance relative to the machine frame from the ground surface with a front height sensor ahead of the concrete slab and generating a front height signal;
• detecting a distance relative to the machine frame from an upper surface of the concrete slab with a rear height sensor and generating a rear height signal;
• and
• determining with a controller a thickness of the concrete slab based at least in part on the front and rear height signals.