Some implementations herein described improvements to concrete products and processes for producing concrete products that may provide a positive environmental impact and that can be stronger relative to the percent of cement used. Particular examples include improvements to zero-slump to near-zero-slump concrete mixture design, material storage and handling, batching, mixing, sequencing and curing processes, as well as forming and curing techniques.

Some implementations herein described improvements to concrete products and processes for producing concrete products that may provide a positive environmental impact and that can be stronger relative to the percent of cement used. Particular examples include improvements to zero-slump to near-zero-slump concrete mixture design, material storage and handling, batching, mixing, sequencing and curing processes, as well as forming and curing techniques.

A method to control a mixer (10) for concrete, mortar, powders, dry and semi-dry granulates, cement-based mixes or similar or comparable mixes or mixtures, comprises an input step in which it provides to communicate to a control and command unit (15) of the mixer (10) a plurality of input data correlated to the formulation of the mix that has to be treated in the mixing cycle, a detection step in which it provides to detect the values of an electric quantity characteristic of the electric power line of a drive unit (12) comprised in the mixer (10), a processing step in which the control and command unit (15) processes the data detected in the detection step in order to calculate the overall active power that is generated as a function of time, and to carry out one or more verifications, comparing the data processed with one or more of the respective data introduced among the input data, in order to transmit to a programmable logic controller (14) that commands the functioning of the mixer (10) alternately a consent signal to discharge the mix subjected to the mixing cycle, or an anomaly signal selectively correlated to the verification or verifications that have had a negative outcome, so that the operator can respectively command in the first case the discharge of the mix from the mixer (10), and in the second case the consequent corrective actions on the mixing cycle.

Systems and methods for preparing construction material mixtures. A container can include a flexible body having an interior for receiving and holding construction material mixture components to be mixed. The construction material mixture components can be mixed in the interior by rotating a mixing tool. The flexible body is collapsible for forcing the construction material mixture out of a mouth of the container. The flexible body can be everted to facilitate cleaning the interior of the flexible body. The system can also include a stand, a mixing tool, a funnel, and/or a measuring cup.

A method of preparing a concrete composition for downhole injection includes utilizing a controller to control a process including circulating process water in a process water supply loop for a predetermined period while monitoring and controlling the temperature and flow rate of the process water, circulating aqueous-based air entrainment solution in an aqueous-based air entrainment solution supply loop for the predetermined period and controlling the flow rate of the aqueous-based air entrainment solution and after the predetermined period of time in which the flow of process water and aqueous-based air entrainment solution have stabilized, simultaneously actuating valves to divert and mix the process water, the aqueous-based air entrainment solution and compressed air to produce an air-entrained foam and mixing the foam with a concrete composition to be deployed downhole.

The invention provides methods and compositions for treating wash water from concrete production with carbon dioxide. The treated wash water can be reused as mix water in fresh batches of concrete.

Some implementations herein described improvements to concrete products and processes for producing concrete products that may provide a positive environmental impact and that can be stronger relative to the percent of cement used. Particular examples include improvements to zero-slump to near-zero-slump concrete mixture design, material storage and handling, batching, mixing, sequencing and curing processes, as well as forming and curing techniques.

A method of preparing a concrete composition for downhole injection includes utilizing a controller to control a process including circulating process water in a process water supply loop for a predetermined period while monitoring and controlling the temperature and flow rate of the process water, circulating aqueous-based air entrainment solution in an aqueous-based air entrainment solution supply loop for the predetermined period and controlling the flow rate of the aqueous-based air entrainment solution and after the predetermined period of time in which the flow of process water and aqueous-based air entrainment solution have stabilized, simultaneously actuating valves to divert and mix the process water, the aqueous-based air entrainment solution and compressed air to produce an air-entrained foam and mixing the foam with a concrete composition to be deployed downhole.

Some implementations herein described improvements to concrete products and processes for producing concrete products that may provide a positive environmental impact and that can be stronger relative to the percent of cement used. Particular examples include improvements to zero-slump to near-zero-slump concrete mixture design, material storage and handling, batching, mixing, sequencing and curing processes, as well as forming and curing techniques.

The invention provides methods and compositions for treating wash water from concrete production with carbon dioxide. The treated wash water can be reused as mix water in fresh batches of concrete.