US 7,398,131 B2 · Method and system for concrete quality control based on the concrete's maturity

Abstract

Method and system for controlling and monitoring the quality of concrete based on the concrete's maturity. Various embodiments of the present invention are discussed. First, Enhanced Maturity involves a maturity calibration method to account for the water-to-cementitious-materials ratio, air content, and gross unit weight of the concrete. Second, Moisture-Loss Maturity is a method for determining the appropriate time to terminate moisture-loss protection of concrete and concrete structures. Third, Improved Maturity is a method and system for determining the strength of curing concrete using improved maturity calculations. Fourth, SPC Maturity is a method that beneficially couples maturity measurements and calculations with Statistical Process Control (SPC) methods to enable rapid recognition of changes to the concrete mix and/or incompatibilities between the various components of the concrete mix. Fifth, Loggers, Readers, and Software represent the preferred embodiment for automating and simplifying the implementations of the aforementioned methods.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A logger capable of being positioned on or within a concrete mass, comprising:

one or more temperature sensors to measure physical properties of the concrete mass and to generate sensor data associated with the temperature of the concrete mass;
a memory device that receives and stores strength-maturity correlation data formed by varying the proportions of water-to-cementitious ratio, air content, and maturity data in a plurality of calibration batches and then obtaining strength measurements while breaking the calibration batches and also receiving and storing the relative proportions of water, cement, and air content;
a microprocessor which accesses the strength-maturity correlation data and receives the sensor data and calculates maturity data and mechanical strength data based on the strength-maturity correlation data and the relative proportions of the water, cement, and air content;
and
an encasement enclosing the memory device and microprocessor.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for concrete quality control based on the concrete's maturity

Life of this patent

Method and system for concrete quality control based on the concrete's maturity

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17