Method for examining a solidified and/or hardening material using ultrasound, receptacle and ultrasound sensor for carrying out the method

Abstract

A method is described for examining a solidifying and/or hardening material such as cement, concrete or the like, using ultrasound waves emitted by an ultrasound transmitter, which penetrate the solidifying and/or hardening material, are continuously measured and analyzed. During solidification and/or hardening of the material, the signal shapes of the ultrasound waves penetrating the material, are recorded. The change with time of the compression wave velocity and/or the relative energy of the ultrasound waves and/or the frequency spectra of the ultrasound waves is extracted from the ultrasound wave shapes during the entire course of solidification and/or hardening of the material. This change with time of the compression wave velocity and/or the relative energy of the ultrasound waves and/or the frequency spectra of the ultrasound waves is approximated through a compensating function, preferably the Boltzmann function. The free parameters of the compensation function are associated with material properties and permit comparison of a current measurement with reference values of these parameters to permit determination of material properties of the examined material. A receptacle and an ultrasound transmitter for carrying out the method also are described.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.