Abstract: An in situ near infrared sensing unit includes a housing allowing the sensing unit to be inserted in a variety of media. A transparent window is formed in the sidewall of the housing. A sensing element is mounted inside the housing. The sensing element is configured to emit near infrared light provided from a light source external to the housing, and the sensing element is configured to collect near infrared light transmitted through the transparent window. A mirror is mounted in the housing at an angle with respect to the transparent window and opposite the sensing element. The angle allows the mirror to reflect the near infrared light, emitted by the sensing element, through the transparent window.

Abstract: An in situ near infrared sensing unit includes a housing allowing the sensing unit to be inserted in a variety of media. A transparent window is formed in the sidewall of the housing. A sensing element is mounted inside the housing. The sensing element is configured to emit near infrared light provided from a light source external to the housing, and the sensing element is configured to collect near infrared light transmitted through the transparent window. A mirror is mounted in the housing at an angle with respect to the transparent window and opposite the sensing element. The angle allows the mirror to reflect the near infrared light, emitted by the sensing element, through the transparent window.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for characterization of a physical site. One of the methods includes obtaining, for each of one or more physical locations corresponding to a respective coordinate at a surface of a growing medium at the locations, sensor data comprising a sensor profile generated from measurements taken by each of a plurality of sensors on a sensor unit passing through the respective coordinate at a plurality of different depth levels within the growing medium at the location; providing the sensor data as input to one or more probabilistic models configured to receive the sensor data comprising the respective sensor profiles to predict one or more characteristics of the growing medium at each of the physical locations; and obtaining, as output from the one or more probabilistic models, the one or more predicted characteristics for each physical location.

Abstract: A method of expanding expandable polymeric microspheres including contacting an aqueous slurry including unexpanded, expandable polymeric microspheres with heat in-situ during manufacture of a construction material. A method of manufacturing a construction material includes: (i) contacting an aqueous slurry of unexpanded, expandable polymeric microspheres with heat proximate to and/or during said manufacturing of the construction material to create expanded polymeric microspheres; (ii) optionally pre-wetting the expanded polymeric microspheres; and (iii) mixing the expanded polymeric microspheres with the construction material.

Abstract: A method of expanding expandable polymeric microspheres including contacting an aqueous slurry including unexpanded, expandable polymeric microspheres with heat in-situ during manufacture of a cementitious composition or article, wherein the aqueous slurry optionally further includes an admixture therefor. A method of manufacturing a cementitious composition or article includes: (i) contacting an aqueous slurry of unexpanded, expandable polymeric microspheres with heat proximate to and/or during said manufacturing of the cementitious composition to create expanded polymeric microspheres; (ii) pre-wetting the expanded polymeric microspheres; and (iii) mixing the pre-wetted, expanded polymeric microspheres with cement and water to form the cementitious composition, wherein the aqueous slurry optionally further comprises an admixture therefor.

Abstract: A cementitious material manufactured by a process including adding, after pyroprocessing, at least one desugared molasses to at least one cementitious and/or pozzolanic material during manufacture of the at least one cementitious and/or pozzolanic material. A method of manufacturing a cementitious material including adding, after pyroprocessing, at least one desugared molasses to at least one cementitious and/or pozzolanic material during manufacture of the at least one cementitious and/or pozzolanic material.

Abstract: A cementitious material manufactured by a process including adding, after pyroprocessing, at least one desugared molasses to at least one cementitious and/or pozzolanic material during manufacture of the at least one cementitious and/or pozzolanic material. A method of manufacturing a cementitious material including adding, after pyroprocessing, at least one desugared molasses to at least one cementitious and/or pozzolanic material during manufacture of the at least one cementitious and/or pozzolanic material.

Abstract: Subsurface material property measurements, such as soil or chemical properties, are obtained in situ by a direct push method that includes rotating a ring bit at the end of a casing to drill through subsurface materials, lowering a measurement probe through the advanced casing, extending the lowered measurement probe through the ring bit, and advancing the extended probe through the soil at a controlled rate while gathering material property data from sensors attached to the probe. The probe may be withdrawn for drilling, and then replaced for further data gathering.

Abstract: An admixture dispensing method that dispenses a dispersant admixture raw material and other admixture raw materials to cementitious compositions based on performance characteristics such as compressive and flexural strength, slump, setting time, air content, finishability, and material or process variables such as temperature, cement type used, additives such as pozzolan, and water cement ratio desired. The method may use computer software algorithms or lookup tables to determine an adjustable ratio of admixture raw materials that when added to the cementitious composition produces the desired performance characteristics. The method may calculate non-linear dosage rates between polycarboxylate dispersant admixture raw materials used for water reduction and strength generation and defoamer admixture raw materials to determine the correct amount of each to generate the desired air content in a cementitious composition.

Abstract: A cold-weather admixture composition that accelerates the setting time and strength development of cementitious compositions is provided which comprises the components of a soluble inorganic salt having freezing point depressing properties, an inorganic early set and strength accelerator, a polycarboxylate high range water reducing dispersant, and an organic set accelerator. With lower dosages of dispersant than those disclosed in the prior art the admixture composition provides to concrete increased dispersant performance and acceleration of setting time and strength development.

Abstract: An automatic workflow architecture provides a design and execution environment for computer-automating business processes, where a user knowledgeable only in the business process itself can create and run the automation of the process without assistance from programmers. An automated workflow method including loading a blank document, selecting activities from a menu to reflect a flow of a business process, inserting the selected activities into the document, assigning variables to the selected activities, and assigning the variables to fields within a desktop application.

Abstract: A method for making a cementitious material comprises forming a mixture of water and active ingredients consisting essentially of i) a compound capable of providing, in aqueous solution, magnesium ions, ii) a potassium phosphate compound and iii) optionally an additional phosphate source; wherein forming said mixture is substantially in the absence of ammonia or an ammonium ion containing compound. A method for repairing a flaw in a cementitious structure comprises applying to the flaw the cementitious binder thus prepared.

Abstract: A deep mix soil stabilization system comprises a hydraulic cement grout, and a soil dispersant comprising at least one of i) an acrylic acid polymer or copolymer, or a salt thereof, ii) an acrylic acid/sulfonic acid copolymer, or a salt thereof, iii) an acrylic acid/phosphonic acid copolymer or a salt thereof, and iv) a blend of an acrylic acid polymer with at least one of a sulfonic acid polymer and a phosphonic acid polymer, or a salt thereof.

Abstract: Polysuccinimide and/or polyaspartate, copolymers of succinimide and aspartate and the polymers cross-linked with a diamine are demonstrated to be enhancement agents for the preparation of cementitious materials. The agents may be added to the dry cementitious mixture or the water which is added to form the cementitious material upon hardening. The enhancement agents improve the workability of the wet cementitious mixture, reduce slump loss during mixing, transport, and placement of the wet cementious mixture; and may provide extra strength upon hardening of the cementitious material.

Abstract: Rapid setting cementitious compositions comprise hydraulic cement and at least 4% by weight based on the weight of the cement of a water-soluble malate or citramalate such as an alkali metal malate or alkali metal citramalate.

Abstract: Rapid setting cementitious compositions comprise hydraulic cement and at least 4% by weight based on the weight of the cement of a water-soluble malate or citramalate such as an alkali metal malate or alkali metal citramalate.

Abstract: An admixture for inhibiting chloride-induced corrosion in steel reinforcing in place in concrete comprises an O/W emulsion wherein the oil phase comprises an unsaturated fatty acid ester and ethoxylated nonyl phenol and the ester of an aliphatic carboxylic acid with a mono-, di- or trihydric alcohol and the water phase comprises a saturated fatty acid, an amphoteric compound, a glycol and a soap. The admixture is added to the concrete prior to placement.