This invention relates to apparatus and method for measurement and monitoring of physical properties of materials, such as liquids, and more particularly to acoustic instruments, methods, and systems that automatically measure air content in real-time within liquids, including concrete, mortar, or other hydratable cementitious mix suspensions using resonant electroacoustic transducers that have their radiating surfaces in contact with the liquid.

A sensor measures slump and rheological characteristics of the concrete and is connected to a system that adjusts the slump by monitoring the sensor within the interior surface of a concrete mixer and controlling liquid additions. Data is analyzed by a computer processing unit to determine the slump and rheological characteristics of the concrete, liquid required to meet the slump requirements. The measurement done by the sensor is more accurate then the existing methods because it brings into consideration the effect of the helix inside the mixer on the movement of the concrete mixture inside the mixer. Furthermore, this method also allows the operation of the sensor in real life situations where the rotation speed of the mixer can't be maintained at a fixed value. The fact that the sensor rotates with the drum and that the concrete mixture is pushed to the bottom of the mixing drum guaranties that all the concrete is sampled by comparing results collected from each revolution of the mixing drum.

The probe can include a base and a resistance member extending from the base and onto which a resistance pressure is imparted by a rheological substance when the resistance member is submerged and moved therein. Rheological properties can be obtained using values indicative of the resistance pressure both in a low speed range and in a high speed range.

There is described a computer-implemented method for handling a mixer truck containing a return concrete load. The method generally has: accessing return concrete data including at least quantity data indicative of a quantity of the return concrete load contained in the drum of the mixer truck and composition data indicative of a composition of the return concrete load contained in the drum; accessing ticket data including job tickets each including a ticket specification; establishing a list of eligible job tickets by comparing the return concrete data to each job ticket, and including a given one of the job tickets in the list contingent upon finding a match between the ticket specification and the return concrete data; and generating a signal indicative of the established list of eligible job tickets.

A method and system for system for rapidly determining the predicted strength of concrete prior to pouring the concrete is disclosed herein. The system and process provides for a database storing concrete family characteristics that may be updated as actual strength of poured concrete is determined. The process also allows construction workers to pour concrete with a keener knowledge of the resulting concrete strength.

A low-density, high-strength concrete composition that is both self-compacting and lightweight, with a low weight-fraction of aggregate to total dry raw materials, and a highly-homogenous distribution of a non-absorptive and closed-cell lightweight aggregate such as glass microspheres or copolymer polymer beads or a combination thereof, and the steps of providing the composition or components. Lightweight concretes formed therefrom have low density, high strength-to-weight ratios, and high R-value. The concrete has strength similar to that ordinarily found in structural lightweight concrete but at an oven-dried density as low as 40 lbs./cu.ft. The concrete, at the density ordinarily found in structural lightweight concrete, has a higher strength and, at the strength ordinarily found in structural lightweight concrete, a lower density. Such strength-to-density ratios range approximately from above 30 cu.ft/sq.in. to above 110 cu.ft/sq.in., with a 28-day compressive strength ranging from about 3400 to 8000 psi.

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.

Systems and methods for increasing fluidity of a shear-thinning material during transit using an energizer which is coupled to a conveyance and configured to impart energy to the shear-thinning material as it is transported by the conveyance, thereby increasing the fluidity of the Material source Conveyor Form material. The conveyance may comprise any of a wide variety of transport means, including pumps, hoses or other conduits, conveyor belts, bins or buckets, chutes, hoppers, or the like. The energizer may use elements that generate mechanical vibrations, electromagnetic waves, acoustic waves, or the like to transfer energy to the shear-thinning material. The energy-imparting elements may be at a localized portion of the conveyance, or at multiple locations along a transport path of the conveyance, and may be controlled by a controller based on such parameters as sensed characteristics of the shear-thinning material or environmental conditions.

Some aspects of what is described here relate to analyzing a well cement slurry. In some aspects, a well cement slurry is mixed in a mixer under a plurality of conditions. The plurality of conditions correspond to a plurality of distinct Reynolds number values for the well cement slurry in the mixer. Power number values associated with mixing the well cement slurry in the mixer under the plurality of conditions are identified. Each power number value is based on an amount of energy used to mix the well cement slurry under a respective one of the plurality of conditions. Values for parameters of a functional relationship between power number and Reynolds number are identified based on the power number values and the Reynolds number values for the plurality of conditions.

Embodied within a realm of transformative innovation, a proactive AI-powered system emerges, seamlessly and autonomously managing the addition of chemical admixtures to control and adjust the composition of concrete during production and transport. The system comprises a concrete mixer tank, reservoirs for the chemical admixtures, a mechanism to dispense them as needed, sensors, and proactive AI-based control system, embodying the pinnacle of the proactive intelligent automation. Sensors track the concrete's properties and environmental conditions, and the proactive AI-based control system analyses the sensor data in real time to discern the precise type, quantity, and timing of chemical admixtures required to maintain the optimal properties of the concrete within the mixer tank, ensuring unwavering fidelity to the desired specifications. This autonomous AI-based system aims to produce concrete with minimal water addition, ensuring consistent concrete quality and reducing reliance on manual intervention.