A method for detecting segregation occurring in fresh concrete mixture being agitated in a drum generally includes: rotating said drum about its rotation axis at a low rotational speed for agitating said fresh concrete mixture during at least a rotation; said fresh concrete mixture segregating, said segregating including gravity pulling denser concrete ingredients downwards in said fresh concrete mixture; measuring a plurality of pressure values indicative of pressure exerted onto a rheological probe mounted inside said drum and moving through said fresh concrete mixture as said drum rotates; providing reference data indicative of a behaviour of said rheological probe in a fresh concrete mixture in said absence of said segregating; and detecting that said segregating has occurred, including comparing at least some of said measured pressure values to said reference data.

A mixing drum assembly includes a frame, a mixing drum rotatably coupled to the frame, and a charge hopper coupled to the frame and positioned to direct material into the mixing drum. The charge hopper includes a hopper frame and a liner extending along an inner surface of the hopper frame and at least partially defining a passage extending between an inlet and an outlet. The hopper frame includes a first material and the liner includes a second material different from the first material. The liner is removably coupled to the hopper frame.

A concrete mixer system includes a washout system and a controller. The washout system includes a tank configured to store a fluid, a plurality of electronically controllable valves in fluid communication with the tank, and a plurality of nozzles. One or more of the plurality of nozzles are fluidly coupled to a respective one of the plurality of electronically controllable valves. Each of the plurality of nozzles is configured to be positioned to facilitate washing a respective component of a concrete mixer vehicle. The controller is configured to (i) receive an indication that the washout system is coupled to a continuous fluid source and (ii) operate the washout system in a continuous wash mode in response to receiving the indication.

A concrete mixing truck includes a chassis, a front axle and a rear axle coupled to the chassis, a lift axle coupled to the chassis and including a tractive element, a lift actuator coupled to the lift axle, a mixing drum rotatably coupled to the chassis, a fill level sensor coupled to the mixing drum and configured to provide a signal indicative of a fill level of a material within the mixing drum, and a controller. The lift axle is selectively repositionable between a lowered position in which the tractive element engages a support surface and a raised position. The controller is operatively coupled to the lift actuator and the fill level sensor and configured to control the lift actuator to reposition the lift axle into the lowered position in response to the fill level exceeding a threshold fill level.

A concrete mixer vehicle includes a chassis, a cab coupled to the chassis, a drum assembly coupled to the chassis, and a module coupled to the chassis and positioned rearward of the drum assembly. The module includes a prime mover, a cooling system, and a hood. The hood has a first end positioned proximate the drum assembly, an opposing second end positioned proximate a rear end of the chassis, and a top surface. The hood defines an internal cavity within which the prime mover and the cooling system are disposed. The first end defines an inlet airflow cavity. The inlet airflow cavity has a bottom surface and an air inlet positioned between the top surface and the bottom surface. The air inlet connects the inlet airflow cavity to the internal cavity.

A concrete transport vehicle has a vehicle chassis, a concrete drum unit and a drum lift apparatus. The vehicle chassis carries the concrete drum unit and the drum lift apparatus. The concrete drum unit has a concrete drum, wherein the concrete drum is adapted to discharge concrete. The drum lift apparatus is adapted to lift the concrete drum unit with reference to the vehicle chassis from a transport position to a discharge position, wherein a vehicle height of the concrete transport vehicle is lowered in the transport position compared to the discharge position and wherein a drumrear and a drumfront of the concrete drum unit each is lifted in the discharge position compared to the transport position.

A material delivery apparatus for delivering foam into a mixer of a ready-mix truck comprising an elongated bar, a support arm, a guide tube and a delivery tube is disclosed. There is a foam tube having one end mounted to the delivery tube and another end mounted to a foam generator. The delivery tube slides within the guide tube. There is a cable mounted to the delivery tube and to a motor reel on an opposite end. Included is a control panel communicatively coupled to the motor reel and the foam generator. The mixer of a ready-mix truck is aligned underneath the delivery tube. The controller is operated to control volume and rate at which foam is to be delivered by the foam generator. The delivery tube is positioned to accurately delivery the foam in the mixer to mix the foam with concrete to produce foam concrete.

A concrete mixer vehicle includes a mixer drum, an additive admixture system, and a controller. The additive admixture system includes an air inlet valve, a fluid valve, an air valve, and a pump. The controller is configured to operate the additive admixture system to transition the additive admixture system between an additive addition mode, a drain mode, and a system clear mode. The controller transitions the additive admixture system into the additive addition mode and operates the pump until a desired amount of an additive is added to the mixer drum, transitions the additive admixture system into the drain mode for a predetermined amount of time in response to the desired amount of additive being added to the mixer drum, and transitions the additive admixture system into the system clear mode for a predetermined amount of time to clear stagnant fluid or built up mixture from the additive admixture system.

A vehicle includes an engine, an electric energy system, a drum configured to mix drum contents received therein, and a drum drive system coupled to the drum and the engine. The drum drive system includes a primary pump, an electric motor powered by the electric energy system, an auxiliary pump fluidly coupled to the mechanical pump and powered by the electric motor, and a drum motor fluidly coupled to the primary pump and the auxiliary pump and positioned to drive the drum to agitate the drum contents.

There is described a method for determining a volume of fresh concrete being discharged from a dmm during a discharge, the drum being rotatable and having inwardly protruding blades mounted inside the drum which, when the drum is rotated in an unloading direction, force the fresh concrete towards a discharge outlet of the drum. The method generally has discharging a volume of the fresh concrete from the drum by rotating the drum in the unloading direction for a given number of discharge rotations; obtaining discharge flow rate variation data indicative of a discharge flow rate varying as function of discharge rotations; and determining a discharged volume value indicative of the volume of fresh concrete being discharged from the drum of the mixer truck during said discharge based on the given number of discharge rotations and on the discharge flow rate variation data.