A system and process for detecting dynamic segregation in concrete rotated within a mixer drum, such as mounted on a delivery truck. A system processor is programmed to monitor an instantaneous and averaged rheology parameter (e.g., instantaneous and averaged slump values) and to deploy one or more protocols for detecting the occurrence of segregation. A first protocol comprises monitoring the averaged slump or other rheology value of concrete during and immediately after a jump in drum speed of at least plus or minus four rotations per minute and detecting when a change in the averaged slump value meets or exceeds a threshold limit pre-selected by the user or the system processor; and an optional second protocol comprises monitoring the instantaneous slump or other rheology value of the concrete when the mixer drum is rotating at a constant speed for at least three successive rotations.

Disclosed are method and system for treating concrete in mixing drums of delivery vehicles having automated rheology (e.g., slump) monitoring systems programmed to dose fluids into concrete based on the monitored rheology. The present invention takes into account a Revolution-To-Discharge value (RTD) which reflects drum rotations needed to move concrete towards and through the mixing drum opening from which concrete is discharged, and also takes into consideration a Volume-Per-Revolution-Upon-Discharge (VPRUD) value which reflects the relation between the rate of discharge and rheology (e.g., slump) of concrete upon discharge. The invention is especially useful for reclaiming concrete in the drum after delivery and can confirm rheology based upon peak (maximum) discharge pressure. The present inventors found surprisingly that discharge pressure readings are useful for recalibrating automated rheology monitoring systems as well as for reporting and/or treating the remainder concrete.

A method for producing a three-dimensional object from a curable binder composition with an additive manufacturing process, the method including the steps of: producing the curable binder composition in the setting state, preferably by mixing the constituents of the curable binder composition in a mixing unit, conveying the curable binder composition in the setting state via a supply line to a printing head movable in at least one spatial direction, applying the curable binder composition in the setting state by means of the printing head, wherein the curable binder composition is preferably applied layer-by-layer, to form the three-dimensional object, determining a pressure drop over a length section of the supply line with at least two pressure measuring device(s), optionally, determining a flow rate of the curable binder composition in the supply line, optionally determining a temperature of the curable binder composition in the supply line.

A mixer vehicle includes a mixer drum, a first acceleration sensor, a second acceleration sensor, and a controller. The first acceleration sensor is configured to produce first acceleration signals and the second acceleration sensor is configured to measure accelerations within the mixer drum to produce second acceleration signals. The controller is configured to receive the first acceleration signals from the first acceleration sensor and second acceleration signals from the second acceleration sensor. The controller is further configured to determine a presence of material within the mixer drum based on the first acceleration signals and the second acceleration signals. The controller is further configured to determine one or more properties of the material within the mixer drum based on the first acceleration signals and the second acceleration signals.

This specification relates to systems (100), methods and apparatus for intelligently controlling the drum rotation of a concrete mixer (104). According to a first aspect of this specification, there is described a method for controlling a concrete mixing drum (104) on a concrete mixer vehicle (102), the method comprising, for each of a plurality of time-steps: inputting, into one or more machine-learned models (210), input data comprising a current state of the concrete mixer vehicle and one or more delivery requirements for a concrete mix in the concrete mixing drum; processing, using the one or more machine-learned models, the input data to generate a drum rotation cycle data (c) for the concrete mixing drum; outputting, from the one or more machine-learned models, the drum rotation cycle data; and controlling the concrete mixing drum based on the generated drum rotation cycle data.

A mixer vehicle includes a mixer drum, a first acceleration sensor, a second acceleration sensor, and a controller. The first acceleration sensor is configured to produce first acceleration signals and the second acceleration sensor is configured to measure accelerations within the mixer drum to produce second acceleration signals. The controller is configured to receive the first acceleration signals from the first acceleration sensor and second acceleration signals from the second acceleration sensor. The controller is further configured to determine a presence of material within the mixer drum based on the first acceleration signals and the second acceleration signals. The controller is further configured to determine one or more properties of the material within the mixer drum based on the first acceleration signals and the second acceleration signals.

A concrete composition having an optimized formulation and suitable for 3-D printing is provided. The composition may include a hydraulic cement composition, aggregate, cement and/or aggregate by-product dust, one or more rheology modifiers, a plasticizer, fibers, and a sufficient amount of water to effect setting of the composition. Optionally the concrete composition may include a setting agent. A method for 3D printing multiple layers of the concrete composition is also provided.

A device for producing a concrete includes a cement premixer for mixing a cement suspension, the cement premixer having an ultrasonic probe for preparing a cement suspension, a crystallization tank arrangement with the first crystallization tank, for increasing the early strengths of the concrete, and a concrete mixer for producing a concrete mixture from the premixed cement suspension, in particular with the addition of aggregates.

A quality control system of the invention allows controlling, image analysis and continuous visual monitoring of aggregates and sand processing, and physical properties and workability of fresh concrete and concrete mixes, which are manufactured from the aggregates and sand, and then transported to construction sites and used there for construction purposes. The system of the invention comprises visual monitoring devices (100), stationary or mobile, installed or remotely used at quarries, concrete plants, in concrete trucks and at the construction sites. The method for continuous visual monitoring of the aggregates, sand and concrete is based on image or video processing and analysis of the aggregates and sand, fresh concrete, concrete mixes or precast concrete, the concrete slump levels, segregation and bleeding, homogeneity of the mixture and consistency.

A three-dimensional printing head including a dynamic mixer comprising a mixer casing, which delimits a mixing chamber, a supply inlet configured to supply the mixing chamber with a mineral composition and a discharge outlet; and an injector for injecting a building material admixture in the mixing chamber. The injector includes a tubular injecting member being flexible and having an injection outlet, the tubular injecting member being elastically deformable between a first state in which the tubular injecting member is configured to allow a flow of the building material admixture through the tubular injecting member and towards the injection outlet, and a second state in which the tubular injecting member is configured to prevent a flow of the mineral composition from the mixing chamber and through the tubular injecting member.