COMPUTER-AIDED METHOD AND DEVICE FOR OPTIMIZED CONTROL OF THE DELIVERY RATE OF A CONCRETE PUMP OR THE LIKE

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for controlling the delivery rate (P.sub.Q) of a concrete pump (1) for filling a formwork arrangement (2) with a pumpable filling compound (3) as a function of curing-relevant material and environmental parameters (RST), after which the installed filling compound (3) sets within the formwork arrangement (2), comprising the following steps: determining a permissible climbing speed (vsz) for filling the formwork arrangement (2) with the filling compound (3) on the basis of the material and ambient parameters (RST), measuring the static filling compound pressure (p.sub.F) acting on the formwork arrangement (2) during filling, calculating the permissible delivery rate (P.sub.Q) of the concrete pump (1) as a function of the determined permissible rate of ascent (vsz) and the measured static filling compound pressure (p.sub.F) at the formwork arrangement (2).

Claims

1. Method for controlling the delivery rate (P.sub.Q) of a concrete pump (1) for filling a formwork arrangement (2) with a pumpable filling compound (3) as a function of curing-relevant material and environmental parameters (RST), after which the installed filling compound (3) sets within the formwork arrangement (2), comprising the following steps: determining a permissible rate of ascent (vsz) for filling the formwork arrangement (2) with the filling compound (3) on the basis of the material and ambient parameters (RST), measuring the static filling compound pressure (p.sub.F) acting on the formwork arrangement (2) during filling, calculating the permissible delivery rate (P.sub.Q) of the concrete pump (1) as a function of the determined permissible rate of ascent (vsz) and the measured static filling compound pressure (p.sub.F) at the formwork arrangement (2).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the material and environment parameters (RST) are selected from a parameter group comprising: filling compound formulation data (R), formwork dimension data (S), outside temperature (T).

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the filling compound formulation data (R), from which in particular a material-specific temporal curing characteristic is or can be derived, is provided on the basis of available construction planning information of a construction planning database (11).

4. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the information resulting from the formwork dimension data (S), in particular a section-by-section concreting height, concreting area, wall thickness, is provided on the basis of available construction planning information from the construction planning database (11).

5. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the outdoor temperature (T) is measured via a temperature sensor at a construction site or is provided by a public weather database (12).

6. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the measurement of the static filling compound pressure (p.sub.F) acting on the formwork arrangement (2) during filling is carried out by a measuring sensor system (8) arranged in the region of the formwork arrangement (2).

7. Apparatus for carrying out the method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising: an analysis unit (10) for determining a permissible rate of ascent (vsz) for filling the formwork arrangement (2) with the filling compound (3) on the basis of the material and ambient parameters (RST), a measuring sensor system (8; 8′) for measuring the static filling compound pressure (p.sub.F) acting on the formwork arrangement (2) during filling, an evaluation unit (13) for calculating the permissible delivery rate (P.sub.Q) of the concrete pump (1) as a function of the permissible rate of ascent (vsz) determined by the analysis unit (10) and the static filling compound pressure (p.sub.F) at the formwork arrangement (2) measured by the measuring sensor system (8).

8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the measuring sensor system (8) arranged in the region of the formwork arrangement (2) for measuring the static filling compound pressure (p.sub.F) is configured as a measuring bracket (16) with an integrated pressure or tension measuring sensor (17) overlapping opposite outer formwork surfaces (2a, 2b).

9. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the measuring sensor system (8′) arranged in the region of the formwork arrangement (2) for measuring the static filling compound pressure (p.sub.F) is configured as a strain gauge arrangement (18) applied to at least one formwork part (2b) or as an inserted pressure sensor.

10. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the analysis unit (10) is connected to a central construction planning database (11) which contains data records with the required construction planning information from which the filling compound formulation data (R) and/or the formwork dimension data (S) are derived.

11. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the measuring sensor system (8) arranged on the shuttering arrangement (2) is at least partially wirelessly connected to a computer unit (15) for transmitting the measuring signals, in which computer unit the analysis unit (10) with connected construction planning database (11) and/or the evaluation unit (13) are integrated.

12. Device according to any of the preceding claims 7 to 11, characterized in that the pumpable filling compound (3) is an in-situ concrete.

13. Device according to any of the preceding claims 7 to 12, characterized in that it is connected to a pump control unit (14) for transmitting the calculated pump output (P.sub.Q) for the purpose of correspondingly controlling the concrete pump (1).

14. Computer program with program code means for carrying out the steps according to at least claim 1, if the computer program is executed on an analysis unit (10) and evaluation unit (13) or a computer unit (15) of a device according to any one of claims 7 to 12.

15. Machine-readable medium or cloud storage on which the computer program of claim 14 is stored in a retrievable manner.

Description

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0026] Further measures improving the invention are shown in more detail below together with the description of embodiments of the invention with reference to the figures. It shows:

[0027] FIG. 1 a schematic representation of a complete system for filling a formwork arrangement, in which a device according to the invention for controlling the delivery rate of a concrete pump is integrated,

[0028] FIG. 2 schematic detailed representation of a first embodiment for a measuring sensor system for measuring the static filling compound pressure on the formwork arrangement,

[0029] FIG. 3 schematic representation of a second embodiment for a measuring sensor system for measuring the static filling compound pressure at the formwork arrangement,

[0030] FIG. 4 flow chart illustrating the sequence of the essential process steps according to the invention, which are carried out by the device contained in FIG. 1, and

[0031] FIG. 5 pressure distribution diagram to illustrate the filling compound pressure along the formwork height.

[0032] According to FIG. 1, a concrete pump 1 of a concrete mixing vehicle—not shown further—is provided for filling a formwork arrangement 2 on a construction site—shown here only in part—with a pumpable filling compound 3, which in this embodiment is a suitable in-situ concrete.

[0033] The concrete pump 1 conveys the filling compound 3 from a buffer tank 4 of the concrete mixing vehicle via a locally positionable pipeline arrangement 5 into the filling area of the formwork arrangement 2. In this embodiment, the formwork arrangement 2 surrounds a wall section 6 that has already been built up to some extent in the course of a preceding concreting step, in order to fill the filling space 7 created by the formwork arrangement 2 with in-situ concrete in the following concreting step of the wall section 6 in accordance with an existing construction plan.

[0034] In this embodiment, the highly simplified formwork arrangement 2 consists of two formwork sections 2a and 2b arranged opposite each other, which are realized from formwork segments of a conventional modular system that are known per se.

[0035] A measuring sensor 8 is arranged on the formwork arrangement 2, specifically on the formwork part 2b, opposite the filling space 7 for measuring the static filling compound pressure p.sub.F acting on the formwork arrangement 2 during filling with the filling compound 3. As a result of increasing filling of the formwork arrangement 2 with the filling compound 3 to be cured, the load acting on the formwork arrangement 2 from the filling chamber 7 increases, which is expressed in corresponding component stresses as a result of the outwardly directed forces. In this example, the filling compound pressure p.sub.F, which is seen in analogy to this, is passed on as an input value to an electronic evaluation unit 13 via a wireless communication link.

[0036] An associated analysis unit 10 is used to determine a permissible climbing speed vsz for filling the formwork arrangement 2 with the filling compound 3 on the basis of relevant material and ambient parameters. For this purpose, the analysis unit 10 receives various input values which comprise control-relevant material and environment parameters RST. The filling compound formulation data R form a material parameter which provides formulation information about the filling compound 3 used in the form of a single value or a data record, since, for example, depending on the concrete formulation, there is a material-specific curing characteristic which also determines the permissible rate of rise vsz during the filling process. Such filling compound formulation data R are provided by a construction planning database 11 containing this construction planning information. The planning database 11 contains all the necessary information of the construction planning about the structure to be built and thus also the prescribed material specifications with regard to the filling compound composition, which are specified for the construction of the wall section 6 to be built.

[0037] In addition, the planning database 11 also contains information regarding formwork dimension data S, from which, in particular, the section-by-section concreting height, the section-by-section concreting area, the wall thickness of a concreting section and the like can be derived in order to also take into account these geometric environmental parameters required for determining the permissible rate of ascent vsz.

[0038] Another relevant environmental parameter to be taken into account is the outside temperature prevailing on the construction site during the concreting process, because this influences the setting process and thus the permissible rate of rise vsz of the filling compound 3 to be poured. In this embodiment example, the environmental parameter regarding the outside temperature T is supplied starting from a correspondingly updated publicly accessible weather database 12.

[0039] Based on all these material and ambient parameters RST influencing the permissible rising speed vsz, the analysis unit 10 determines the permissible rising speed vsz for filling the formwork arrangement 2 with the filling compound 3 and passes this value on to the evaluation unit 13 for calculating a permissible delivery line P.sub.Q of the concrete pump 1 matched to it. The evaluation unit 13 also takes into account the static filling compound pressure p.sub.F at the formwork arrangement 2 measured by the measuring sensor 8 for control purposes. This means that the evaluation unit 13 requests a reduction of the delivery line P.sub.Q if the filling compound pressure p.sub.F exceeds an upper limit value. In an analogous manner, the delivery line P.sub.Q is increased if the filling compound pressure p.sub.F falls below a permissible limit value. However, this control, which is primarily for monitoring purposes, is superimposed on the primary control of the concrete pump 1 with regard to its delivery line P.sub.Q via the permissible rate of rise vsz determined on the basis of the material and ambient parameters RST. The permissible rate of rise vsz results from the volume flow conveyed by the concrete pump in conjunction with the geometric dimensions of the filling chamber 7. Instead of the criterion of the rate of rise vsz, another parameter analogous to this can also be used in equivalence to the control purposes of the invention.

[0040] The permissible delivery line P.sub.Q calculated in this way is transmitted in this embodiment example via an at least partially wireless communication channel, here including the Internet 9 from a central location to the pump control unit 14 of the concrete pump 1 locally present on the construction site as a control signal. In contrast, in this embodiment example, the analysis unit 10 and the evaluation unit 13 are accommodated by software in a central computer unit 15, which thus represents a remote control server. This computer unit 15 has access to the planning database 11 integrated therein as well as the public weather database 12 and—also via at least partially wireless communication—via Internet 9 to the sensor signal of the measuring sensor system 8 on site at the construction site. This can of course alternatively also be routed via the connection channel of the pump control unit 14 as part of bidirectional data transmission.

[0041] FIG. 2 illustrates a first embodiment for the realization of a measuring sensor system 8 for measuring the static filling compound pressure p.sub.F discussed above. For this purpose, a measuring bracket 16 is used which overlaps opposing formwork parts 2a and 2b and at one end of which a pressure or tension measuring sensor 17 is integrated. The arrangement shown here is specifically a pressure sensor. If such a sensor is integrated in the middle section of the measuring bracket 16, it would specifically be a tension sensor in order to obtain analog measured values.

[0042] In the example illustrated in FIG. 3, the measuring sensor 8′ used for the same purpose is a strain gauge arrangement 18 applied to the surface of a formwork part 2b, which measures the local component stresses in the formwork part 2b at a suitable point in order to draw conclusions from this about the static filling material pressure p.sub.F present.

[0043] According to FIG. 4, in summary, the control of the delivery line P.sub.Q for the concrete pump 1 is carried out in sequence of the steps listed below, which are preferably implemented by software in the form of a computer program with program code means for carrying out the steps.

[0044] First, a determination A of a permissible rate of ascent vsz for filling a formwork arrangement with a suitable filling compound is carried out on the basis of provided material and environmental parameters RST, which are taken here from various sources.

[0045] Parallel to the filling of the formwork arrangement with the filling compound, the static filling compound pressure p.sub.F acting on the formwork arrangement is measured B and made available as a measured value.

[0046] Subsequently, a calculation C is carried out with regard to a permissible delivery line P.sub.Q for the concrete pump 1, which is proportional to the delivered volume flow, depending on the determined permissible rate of ascent vsz or a characteristic value analogous thereto and the measured static filling compound pressure p.sub.F at the formwork arrangement for control purposes. In the final step, the calculated delivery line P.sub.Q or the analog value is transmitted D to the pump control of the concrete pump 1 in the form of a control signal.

[0047] FIG. 5 illustrates the distribution of the filling compound pressure along the formwork height H of 6 meters for a concreting height of 5 meters in the final state in three consecutive concreting steps I. to III. By filling the fresh concrete into the filling space of the formwork arrangement, a static surface pressure δ.sub.hk is generated on the formwork arrangement. When the hardening of the filling mass starts from the bottom, this filling compound pressure decreases in relation to this. Once the filler has hardened sufficiently, the next concreting step can be carried out on this basis. The three concreting steps I. to III. result from the maximum load capacity of the formwork arrangement of up to 50 kN/m.sup.2 per concreting step, which results in a maximum filling height of approx. 1.8 meters per concreting step, indicated by the triangular marking. The filling pressure is monitored here by a total of four pressure measuring cells forming the measuring sensors 8a to 8d, which are arranged along the filling height on the formwork arrangement.

[0048] The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment described above together with variations thereof. Rather, other variants are also conceivable, which are also covered by the scope of protection of the following claims. For example, it is also conceivable to arrange the computing unit for determining the control signal of the concrete pump locally in a concrete mixer vehicle or stationary on the construction site, with the required construction planning information and other material and environmental parameters being made available by remote data transmission, for example via a mobile radio channel. Furthermore, other material and environmental parameters can also be used for the control purposes of the invention, provided that they have an influence on the setting process of the filling compound.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0049] 1 concrete pump [0050] 2 shuttering arrangement [0051] 3 filling compound [0052] 4 buffer tank [0053] pipeline arrangement [0054] 6 wall section [0055] 7 filling room [0056] 8 measurement sensors [0057] 9 internet [0058] analysis unit [0059] 11 planning database [0060] 12 weather database [0061] 13 evaluation unit [0062] 14 pump control unit [0063] computer unit [0064] 16 measuring yoke [0065] 17 pressure or tension measuring sensor [0066] 18 tension gauge arrangement [0067] A determination step [0068] B measurement step [0069] C calculation step [0070] D transmission step [0071] P.sub.Q delivery rate [0072] p.sub.F fill compound pressure [0073] vsz permissible rate of ascend [0074] RST material and environmental parameters [0075] R filling compound recipe data [0076] S formwork dimension data [0077] T ambient temperature [0078] H formwork height [0079] δ.sub.hk static surface pressure [0080] I.-III. concreting steps