Adjusting concrete mixes and mix designs using diagnostic delta data curve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12528749-B2
Application number	US-202118009191-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2021
Priority date	Jun 8, 2020
Publication date	Jan 20, 2026
Grant date	Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

The present invention allows for better control over strength in concrete mixes and mix designs, while minimizing the over-use of cement and promoting sustainability within the industry. Disclosed are novel method and system which employ a diagnostic delta data (DDD) curve, or, in other words, data that displays a curvilinear relationship when plotted on a visual graph, as obtained by considering the differences (e.g., subtractive differences or ratios) as between (i) target slump and target (or maximum) water content, and (ii) slump and water content values as determined using an automated slump monitoring system which measures slump and water content in the concrete mix during delivery. This DDD curve can then be compared to monitored delta slump and delta water content for later or other deliveries, such that adjustments can be made to the concrete mix or mix design, in a manner that encourages avoidance of cement over-dosing or over-prescription.

First claim

It is claimed:

1 . A method for adjusting a concrete mix or mix design, comprising:
(A) batching at least one concrete mix load using a concrete mix design, into a concrete mixer drum, and calculating for the at least one concrete mix load a delta slump value (Δ-Slump) and a delta water content value (Δ-H 2 O) wherein: i. Δ-Slump value is calculated based on differences between a target slump value for the at least one concrete mix load and the slump value obtained for the at least one concrete mix during delivery thereof from a batch plant to a construction site; and ii. Δ-H 2 O value is calculated based on differences between a target maximum water content for the at least one concrete mix load and the water content value as determined for the concrete mix during delivery thereof from the batch plant to a construction site; (B) comparing the obtained Δ-Slump and Δ-H 2 O with a diagnostic delta data curve defined by at least two data points, wherein each of the at least two data points is based on at least one concrete load delivery wherein both slump and water content targets are met, and wherein at least one other data point concerns at least one concrete load delivery wherein at least one or both of the slump and water contents are not met; and (C) adjusting, or providing an indication of adjustment to, at least one of the following properties chosen from: slump, water content, cement content, chemical plasticizer content, aggregate content, or a combination thereof, in the at least one concrete mix load or a concrete mix design from which the at least one concrete mix load was batched, and delivering the at least one concrete mix load at a construction site after the adjustment is made to the mix load or batching at least one concrete mix load using the adjusted concrete mix design after the adjustment is made.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein, in step (A), a plurality of concrete mix loads are batched and delivered, and, in step (B), the diagnostic delta data curve is defined by a plurality of data points from the plurality of concrete mix load deliveries wherein at least one of the data points is based on slump and water content targets being met.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein, in the adjusting step (C), the adjustment is initiated by a concrete slump monitoring system based on the concrete delivery truck or by a concrete batching system at the batch plant, wherein a system processor accesses a collection of protocols for adjusting the concrete mix or mix design based on whether one or both slump and water content targets are met and initiates at least one adjustment to the concrete mix or mix design or otherwise initiates an indication to the effect that the concrete mix or concrete mix design requires that at least one adjustment be made.

4 . The method of claim 3 wherein, when a concrete mix is detected to have both Δ-Slump and Δ-H 2 O greater than zero, where these delta values are calculated based on differences between target values and monitored values, a processor initiates an indication that adjustment needs to be made to the mix design to the effect that discharge of concrete contained in the mixer drum of a concrete delivery truck should be delayed to allow for slump of the load to decrease over time.

5 . The method of claim 3 wherein, when a concrete mix is detected to have both Δ-Slump and Δ-H 2 O less than zero, where these delta values are calculated based on differences between target values and monitored values, a processor initiates an adjustment to a concrete mix or mix design to the effect that more water or plasticizer is added into a concrete mix or included into a concrete mix design; or a processor initiates an indication or adjustment that more water or chemical plasticizer should be added into future concrete mix loads or into the concrete mix design.

6 . The method of claim 3 wherein, when a concrete mix is detected to have Δ-Slump>0 and Δ-H 2 O<0, the delta values being calculated based on differences between target values and monitored values, a processor initiates an indication that pouring of a concrete mix load in a delivery truck mixer drum should be delayed to allow for slump of the load to decrease over time; or, alternatively, initiates an indication that an adjustment should be made in the concrete mix design, or initiates an adjustment, the adjustment being chosen from changing water content or plasticizer amount or relative proportions thereof.

7 . The method of claim 3 wherein, when a concrete mix is detected to have Δ-Slump<0 and Δ-H 2 O>0, the delta values being calculated based on differences between target values and monitored values, a processor initiates an indication that an adjustment to the concrete mix or mix design should be made, or otherwise makes an adjustment to the concrete mix or mix design, the adjustment comprising adding chemical plasticizer, adding aggregate, adding cement, or combination thereof.

8 . The method of claim 3 , wherein at least three protocols are stored in memory and available for access by a processor of a batching or slump monitoring system, the protocols comprising at least one adjustment or indication that an adjustment needs to be made to a mix or mix design, relative to where (A) both Δ-Slump and Δ-H 2 O are >0; (B) both Δ-Slump and Δ-H 2 O are <0; and (C) Δ-Slump<0 and Δ-H 2 O>0, or Δ-Slump>0 and Δ-H 2 O<0, wherein the delta values are calculated based on differences between target values and monitored values; and the processor accesses and executes at least one of said protocols depending upon whether one or both Δ-Slump and Δ-H 2 O are greater or equal to 0.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein Δ-Slump and Δ-H 2 O is calculated for a current delivery concrete mix load based on differences between target values and monitored values, and based on a comparison with the DDD curve for the mix design, a processor sends a warning or an indication to a concrete batch plant operator or batching system processor that the concrete mix design requires adjustment, the adjustment comprises at least one change to water content, plasticizer, cement, aggregates, or combination thereof, or to relative proportions of any of the foregoing components, whereby subsequent concrete loads batched from the mix design are determined to have an adjustment of Δ-Slump, Δ-H 2 O, or both towards the state wherein Δ-Slump or Δ-H 2 O or both values are closer to zero.

10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the diagnostic delta data curve, derived from delta values calculated based on differences between target values and monitored values, is visually illustrated on a screen device as intersecting perpendicular axes defining four quadrants, wherein a first quadrant corresponds to Δ-Slump>0 and Δ-H 2 O>0; a second quadrant corresponds to Δ-Slump>0 and Δ-H 2 O<0; a third quadrant corresponds to Δ-Slump<0 and Δ-H 2 O<0; and a fourth quadrant corresponds to Δ-Slump<0 and Δ-H 2 O>0.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the diagnostic delta data curve, derived from delta values calculated based the differences between target values and monitored values, is illustrated as intersecting both the vertical axis and horizontal axis at a common point.

12 . The method of claim 1 wherein, where an automated slump monitoring system detects that Δ-Slump exceeds 5 inches, and Δ-H 2 O exceeds 5 gallons per yard of concrete, then the slump monitoring system sends an indication to a concrete plant operator to adjust the concrete mix design and illustrates the monitored Δ-Slump and Δ-H 2 O values as a data point on the diagnostic delta data curve illustrated as intersecting both the vertical axis and horizontal axis at a common poi

Assignees

• Gcp Applied Tech Inc

Inventors

• Tregger Nathan
• Roberts Mark

Classifications

• B28C7/0418

  control systems therefor · CPC title

• G01N33/383

  Concrete or cement · CPC title

• B28C9/002

  Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams; Making slurries; Involving methodical aspects; Involving pretreatment of ingredients; Involving packaging · CPC title

• B28C5/4231

  Proportioning or supplying water (in general B28C7/12) · CPC title

• B28C5/422

  Controlling or measuring devices (B28C5/4227 takes precedence) · CPC title