A system and process for producing a variety of dry mix construction and ancillary construction materials (DMC) with improved structural properties. The system and process employs a material classification unit (204) that classifies at least one of plurality of raw materials (A, B, . . . N) based on their particle size and physical properties. These classified raw materials are stored separately in material handling compartments (260) and are selected according to the construction grade requirements of the end user. The invention further involves the use of a material selection unit (210) which controls the functioning of various components of present invention. The system and process also provides reutilization of industrial waste products like fly ash, blast furnace slag to produce a variety of construction and ancillary construction materials.

Embodiments of the invention generally relate to apparatus and methods to control the addition of moisture to materials for the production of concrete.

A method of designing a cement composition may include: minimizing an objective function subject to a plurality of constraints to produce a cement composition including at least one cement component and water; and preparing the cement composition.

A method of designing a cement composition may include: minimizing an objective function subject to a plurality of constraints to produce a cement composition including at least one cement component and water; and preparing the cement composition.

A device and a process for the continuous application of a refractory slurry to a surface incorporate a batch reactor (10) for the controlled mixing of the slurry, a product vessel (60) in communication with the batch reactor (10) to contain the mixed slurry, and a variable-rate spraying applicator or nozzle in communication with the product vessel and with an air supply. A controller (100) controls input to, output from, and the operation of, the batch mixer (10), and monitors batch production. The controller (100) monitors the amount of slurry contained in the product vessel (60). If the level of slurry in the product hopper is such that the product hopper cannot accommodate an additional batch of slurry, the controller interrupts batch production and resumes production when the product hopper can accept the contents of the batch reactor (10).

A packaged additive for preparing a cementitious composition comprises a water-soluble paper container and at least one non-liquid additive packaged within the water-soluble paper container. A kit for preparing a hardenable cementitious composition comprises the packaged additive and a separate packaged base cementitious material. Also disclosed is a method for preparing a hardenable cementitious composition using the packaged additive and separate base cementitious material components of the kit, and a method for repairing a flaw in a cementitious structure using the hardenable cementitious composition prepared with the packaged additive and the separate base cementitious material.

In a manufacturing method for manufacturing a dispersion body, a plurality of types of solid particles, water, and a liquid dispersant are mixed. In the manufacturing method, at least two types of the solid particles and at least one type of the dispersant that are selected based on a material type selection method are used, and at least an optimal amount of the dispersant that is determined based on an optimal amount determination method is added and mixed. The material type selection method is based on a Hansen solubility parameter distance to water, Hansen spheres of the solid particles, and a Hansen sphere of the dispersant.

A method of blending concrete is provided wherein there is a determination of a standard volume of water to add to a dry concrete mix to provide hydrated concrete with a desired slump value, and then calculating a substitution volume of an aqueous composition including colloidal silica to be used in place of an eliminated portion of the standard volume of the water, and mixing the substitution volume of the aqueous composition with the concrete mix.

A method of blending concrete is provided wherein there is a determination of a standard volume of water to add to a dry concrete mix to provide hydrated concrete with a desired slump value, and then calculating a substitution volume of an aqueous composition including colloidal silica to be used in place of an eliminated portion of the standard volume of the water, and mixing the substitution volume of the aqueous composition with the concrete mix.

The invention relates to a computer-aided method and a device for controlling a concrete mixing plant for the production of ready-mixed concrete (1) or mixed concrete, which is mixed at least from the components cement (6a; 6b) and aggregates (8a, 8b, 8c) with the addition of water (9) in a motor-driven mixer unit (3), wherein at least the required mixing time (t.sub.M) of the mixer unit (3) is calculated before the start of the mixing process by means of an electronic prognosis unit (10), which calculates the current moisture (F), measured by means of at least one moisture sensor (11), of at least the aggregates (8a, 8b, 8c) to be added and the temperature measured by means of at least one temperature sensor (12;13;14) or thermal imaging camera, in order to determine the required mixing time (t.sub.M) of the mixer unit (3) on the basis of a predetermined concrete formulation (18), taking into account the various measured values determined by the sensors.