A concrete bucket attachment for a track mini skid steer. The concrete bucket attachment includes a frame for supporting a polyurethane tub. The frame includes a connection plate for connection to a standard connector plate of the track mini skid steer. The tub is semitransparent polyethylene. The frame and tub are sized to conform to the lift capacity of the track mini skid steer.

Construction 3D printing, although a technology that is expected to provide cost, speed and environmental benefits as compared to the traditional construction practices, suffers from inefficient and often troublesome material delivery by pumping cementitious material through hoses or pipes. The present application addresses the need for a consistent and discrete payload delivery between a source and a moving destination. The invention describes an aerial tram delivery system that provides real-time, on-demand, and discrete transportation of material from a material source to the moving destination printheads of the construction 3D printer. Such discrete delivery of material is applicable and beneficial to other applications as described.

Construction 3D printing, although a technology that is expected to provide cost, speed and environmental benefits as compared to the traditional construction practices, suffers from inefficient and often troublesome material delivery by pumping cementitious material through hoses or pipes. The present application addresses the need for a consistent and discrete payload delivery between a source and a moving destination. The invention describes an aerial tram delivery system that provides real-time, on-demand, and discrete transportation of material from a material source to the moving destination printheads of the construction 3D printer. Such discrete delivery of material is applicable and beneficial to other applications as described.

Systems and methods of shotcrete construction are contemplated whereby guide rails are placed in proximity and forward to a shotcrete receiving surface, with any guide rails disposed directly in front of the shotcrete receiving surface being configured to be offset from the receiving surface allowing shotcrete to be sprayed behind the offset guide rails. Following application of shotcrete, a screed configured to engage with and traverse along at least two of the guide rails may be used to rod the shotcrete via a protruding region of the screed extending beyond the guide rails, thereby removing excess shotcrete and imparting to the shotcrete surface a contour at least partially defined by the configuration of the guide rails and the configuration of the protruding region of the screed. Complex, precise, and even exotic architectural shotcrete installations may be created in this fashion by providing a suitable set of guide rails and screed.

Systems and methods of shotcrete construction are contemplated whereby guide rails are placed in proximity and forward to a shotcrete receiving surface, with any guide rails disposed directly in front of the shotcrete receiving surface being configured to be offset from the receiving surface allowing shotcrete to be sprayed behind the offset guide rails. Following application of shotcrete, a screed configured to engage with and traverse along at least two of the guide rails may be used to rod the shotcrete via a protruding region of the screed extending beyond the guide rails, thereby removing excess shotcrete and imparting to the shotcrete surface a contour at least partially defined by the configuration of the guide rails and the configuration of the protruding region of the screed. Complex, precise, and even exotic architectural shotcrete installations may be created in this fashion by providing a suitable set of guide rails and screed.

The valve for the minimum waste concrete pump, object of the present invention, comprises a valve for the minimum waste concrete pump that comprises a double-piston alternative-type pump valve provided with an inlet conduit (20) and a discharge conduit (30) installed inside the valve container (10) and arranged next to a concrete reception hopper located above the container, allowing to pump concrete and other pasty substances, such as: sludge, mining residues, grout, mortar, dirty water, and similar. The embodiment of the valve generates the minimum of waste retained after the equipment operation, improving the durability and efficiency of use of the pumps, besides reducing the cleaning time, resulting in a great reduction of operational costs, avoiding the unnecessary displacement of the pump equipment to the central. In addition, this new embodiment results in a valve performing a linear translation movement that reduces component wear and minimizes the need for maintenance on the equipment, as its embodiment does not require constant lubrication.

A concrete composition and method include a portion of fine aggregate bearing a coating of a polymer, which may be a continuous coating layer or a layer of powdered, discrete particles embedded in a binder. The polymeric coating may be a super absorbent polymer (insoluble in water, but absorbing water), or another polymer such as the acrylamides, co-polymers thereof, polyacrylamides, or the like (soluble in water). The coating absorbs water, but particles are too small to form significant voids. Water is absorbed into the concrete mix in far greater proportions (e.g. w/c ratio over 0.5) improving workability, doubling workability time, and improving ultimate compressive stress (strength).

A concrete composition and method include a portion of fine aggregate bearing a coating of a polymer, which may be a continuous coating layer or a layer of powdered, discrete particles embedded in a binder. The polymeric coating may be a super absorbent polymer (insoluble in water, but absorbing water), or another polymer such as the acrylamides, co-polymers thereof, polyacrylamides, or the like (soluble in water). The coating absorbs water, but particles are too small to form significant voids. Water is absorbed into the concrete mix in far greater proportions (e.g. w/c ratio over 0.5) improving workability, doubling workability time, and improving ultimate compressive stress (strength).

A method is disclosed for the method of building a structure. The method includes laying a foundation; running tubing within a column form; pouring the concrete into the column form; and forming walls so as to define the structure. The walls are formed from concrete columns separated by foam. The concrete attaches to the insulation as the concrete sets. A roof is also included and formed from a plurality of sections. The roof is placed in communication with the walls.

A formwork system (10; 60), especially for tunnel construction, includes at least one support arrangement (14) for supporting at least one formwork element (16-26; 72-78). The formwork system further includes at least one concrete pump (36), a plurality of concrete supply units (42) for supply to the formwork element and at least one controller (32). On the formwork element (16-26; 72-78) and/or on the support arrangement (14) at least two pressure sensors (44; 92) are disposed at different vertical positions and are connected to the controller (32) of the formwork system, which pressure sensors (44; 92) are designed to measure the pressure acting upon the formwork elements (16-26; 72-78) at a minimum of two different heights of the formwork element, and that the controller (32) is designed to control the concrete supply units (42) individually, dependent on the signal from the pressure sensors (44; 92).