Abstract: There is described a system for determining air content of fresh concrete received in a drum of a concrete mixer. The system generally has a high energy photon source mounted to the drum and emitting high energy photons towards a photon path rotating about a rotation axis as the drum rotates, the photon path is immersed in the fresh concrete during rotation, a photon detector mounted to the drum, the photon detector counting high energy photons received from the photon path; and generating a signal indicative of a number of counted events; a computing device determining an air content value of the fresh concrete based on the generated signal and on reference data; comparing the determined air content value to an air content threshold; and generating an alert based on the comparison to be displayed.

Abstract: A partition key format for allocating partitions to data items in a single table database, where the data items are owned by different entities. The partition key format including a sequence of a plurality of frames, wherein a first of said frames is an identifier of the requesting entity (EID), and a second one of said frames is an identifier of the type of data item (TID).

Abstract: There is described a probe for monitoring fresh concrete received in a drum of a fresh concrete mixer. The probe generally has an electromechanical actuator having a frame mounted within the drum and a moving element actuatably mounted to the frame, the moving element having a fresh concrete interface exposed within the drum and experiencing a resistance to movement within the drum upon actuation of the electromechanical actuator with an electrical signal; and a measurement unit measuring a resistance response during the actuation and generating a response signal based on the measured resistance response, the generated response signal comprising monitoring Information concerning the fresh concrete within the drum, if any.

Abstract: The method of handling fresh concrete generally includes the steps of receiving a viscosity value of the fresh concrete and a pressure value of a pressure exerted on a Theological probe moving in the fresh concrete; using a processor, accessing at least two calibration data sets, the at least two calibration data sets including combinations of different reference pressure values and associated reference workability values for a corresponding one of at least two reference viscosity values; determining a viscosity difference value by comparing the received viscosity value to the at least two reference viscosity values; and determining a workability value of the workability of the fresh concrete based on the reference workability values associated with reference pressure values corresponding to the received pressure value in the at least two calibration data sets and on the viscosity difference value; and handling the fresh concrete based on the determined workability value.

Abstract: The application presents a system generally having a rotatable drum rotatably for receiving fresh concrete, the drum having inwardly protruding blades mounted inside the drum which, when the drum is rotated in an unloading direction, force fresh concrete inside the drum towards a discharge outlet of the drum, at least one discharge outlet sensor disposed at the discharge outlet of the drum and being configured to sense the presence of fresh concrete at the discharge outlet as the drum rotates in the unloading direction; and a controller communicatively coupled with the at least one discharge outlet sensor, the controller being configured for performing the steps of: receiving a signal from the at least one discharge outlet sensor indicative of the presence of the discharged fresh concrete at the discharge outlet as the drum rotates in the unloading direction; and determining at least one parameter based on the received signal.

Abstract: There are described methods and systems for handling fresh concrete inside a drum. In an aspect, a method of determining calibration data for use in determining workability of fresh concrete inside a rotating drum based on hydraulic pressure is described. This method has receiving a probe pressure value indicative of pressure exerted on a rheological probe mounted inside the drum and immerged in the fresh concrete; determining a workability value indicative of workability of the fresh concrete based on the probe pressure value and on calibration data for the rheological probe; receiving a hydraulic pressure value indicative of pressure of a hydraulic fluid used for rotating the drum; and determining hydraulic calibration data by associating the hydraulic pressure value and the workability value to one another.

Abstract: A system for a concrete mixer having a drum receiving fresh concrete therein. The system generally has: a sensor measuring a set of measurand values indicative of a measurand associated with at least one of the fresh concrete, the drum and components of the concrete mixer; and a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor, the controller performing the steps of: accessing the set of measurand values generated by the sensor; using a trained data processing engine stored on the non-transitory memory, at least one of determining a property value indicative of a property of the fresh concrete, determining a parameter value indicative of a parameter of the drum, and determining that the set of measurand values are indicative of some operating conditions of the concrete mixer; and outputting a signal based on said determining.

Abstract: A method for determining cleanliness of a drum of a fresh concrete mixer truck. The method generally has: rotating the drum about the rotation axis with a constant torque; using a rotational speed sensor, measuring a plurality of speed values corresponding to speeds at which the drum rotates at different moments in time during said rotating; and using a controller, receiving the plurality of speed values; accessing calibration data having different reference speed values-related data associated to corresponding reference degrees of cleanliness of the drum; comparing at least some of the speed values to the calibration data; and determining a degree of cleanliness of the drum based on said comparison.

Abstract: There is described a method for determining a volume of fresh concrete being discharged from a drum during a discharge, the drum being rotatable and having inwardly protruding blades mounted inside the drum which, when the drum is rotated in an unloading direction, force the fresh concrete towards a discharge outlet of the drum. The method generally has discharging a volume of the fresh concrete from the drum by rotating the drum in the unloading direction for a given number of discharge rotations; obtaining discharge flow rate variation data indicative of a discharge flow rate varying as function of discharge rotations; and determining a discharged volume value indicative of the volume of fresh concrete being discharged from the drum of the mixer truck during said discharge based on the given number of discharge rotations and on the discharge flow rate variation data.

Abstract: A method for mixing concrete constituents that generally has a step of rotating a drum having a probe mounted inside the drum and immerged in the concrete constituents being mixed inside the drum; a step of receiving a first set of pressure values indicative of pressure exerted on the probe by the concrete constituents, the pressure values of the first set being taken at different circumferential positions of the probe during a single rotation of the drum; a step of determining a deviation of the pressure values of the first set from reference data; and a step of reducing a rotation speed of the drum upon determining that the deviation is lower than a threshold value.

Abstract: The rheological probe generally has a base; an inner member fixedly connected to the base and extending away from the base, the inner member having in succession a base portion proximate to the base, and a tip away from the base, and a deformable portion located between the base portion and the tip; a shell member covering the inner member, the shell member having a proximal portion being pivotally connected to the base for pivoting about a pivot axis when subjected to a resistance pressure imparted by a relative movement of the probe in a rheological substance, and a distal portion, the distal portion being engaged with the tip, the shell member having mating features being pivotally engaged with corresponding features of the base, the mating features being located on transversally opposite sides of the proximal portion; and a deformation sensor mounted to the deformable portion.

Abstract: A system for automatically detecting an operational event for a bulk material hauler vehicle. The system includes a sensor mounted on the bulk material hauler vehicle, which is adapted for hauling a bulk material such as an aggregate. The system further includes a telematics system provided on the bulk material hauler vehicle. The telematics system includes a processor running software (or executing instructions or code) for detecting the operational event (e.g., providing functions of a load and unload detection module or discriminator as described herein). During vehicle operations, the sensor transmits sensor data to the telematics system, and the detecting of the operational event includes retrieving a signature definition for the operational event and then verifying the sensor data meets requirements of the signature definition. In some embodiments of the system, the operational event is loading the bulk material on or unloading the bulk material from the vehicle.

Abstract: There is disclosed a computer-implemented method for determining a density value of a fresh concrete sample using an acoustic probe assembly. The acoustic probe assembly has an acoustic path, an acoustic emitter configured to emit an acoustic signal along the acoustic path, and an acoustic receiver configured to receive the acoustic signal after propagation along the acoustic path. The acoustic probe assembly is configured and adapted to generate an electromagnetic signal indicative of a duration of time taken by the acoustic signal to travel from the acoustic emitter to the acoustic receiver across the fresh concrete sample. The method generally has a step of determining the duration of time based on the electromagnetic signal, a step of matching the duration to a density value using reference data, and a step of displaying the density value.

Abstract: There are described methods and systems for handling fresh concrete inside a drum . In an aspect, a method of determining calibration data for use in determining workability of fresh concrete inside a rotating drum based on hydraulic pressure is described. This method has receiving a probe pressure value indicative of pressure exerted on a rheological probe mounted inside the drum and immerged in the fresh concrete; determining a workability value indicative of workability of the fresh concrete based on the probe pressure value and on calibration data for the rheological probe; receiving a hydraulic pressure value indicative of pressure of a hydraulic fluid used for rotating the drum; and determining hydraulic calibration data by associating the hydraulic pressure value and the workability value to one another.

Abstract: There is described a system generally having a rotatable drum rotatably for receiving fresh concrete, the drum having inwardly protruding blades mounted inside the drum which, when the drum is rotated in an unloading direction, force fresh concrete inside the drum towards a discharge outlet of the drum, at least one discharge outlet sensor disposed at the discharge outlet of the drum and being configured to sense the presence of fresh concrete at the discharge outlet as the drum rotates in the unloading direction; and a controller communicatively coupled with the at least one discharge outlet sensor, the controller being configured for performing the steps of: receiving a signal from the at least one discharge outlet sensor indicative of the presence of the discharged fresh concrete at the discharge outlet as the drum rotates in the unloading direction; and determining at least one parameter based on the received signal.

Abstract: The method for determining density of fresh concrete inside a drum of a mixer truck involves a probe mounted inside the drum, extending in a radial orientation of the drum and being moved circumferentially as the drum rotates. The method has: receiving first and second pressure values indicative of normal pressures exerted on the probe by the fresh concrete at corresponding and different first and second circumferential positions of the drum during rotation of the drum; and determining a density value of the fresh concrete based on the volume of the probe and on a difference between the first and second pressure values.

Abstract: The probe can include a base and a resistance member extending from the base and onto which a resistance pressure is imparted by a rheological substance when the resistance member is submerged and moved therein. Rheological properties can be obtained using values indicative of the resistance pressure both in a low speed range and in a high speed range.

Abstract: The system for determining a status of a valve being mounted in a liquid supply line of a concrete mixer and being actuatable via an actuator generally has: an actuator accelerometer mounted to the actuator and being adapted to measure an actuator position associated with a position of the valve; a reference accelerometer mounted to the concrete mixer and being adapted to measure a reference position fixed relative to the concrete mixer, the actuator position and the reference position being measured while the concrete mixer is fixed relative to the ground; a computing device adapted to receive the actuator and reference positions, the computing device being adapted to determine the status of the valve based on the actuator position, the reference position and calibration position data; and to generate status of the valve indicative of the determined status of the valve.

Abstract: A method and system for system for rapidly determining the predicted strength of concrete prior to pouring the concrete is disclosed herein. The system and process provides for a database storing concrete family characteristics that may be updated as actual strength of poured concrete is determined. The process also allows construction workers to pour concrete with a keener knowledge of the resulting concrete strength.

Abstract: A method and system for distribution of loads of pre-mixed perishable concrete is disclosed. The system and method allow for the scheduling of multiple delivery units to receive loads from one of multiple possible load sites to deliver such loads to one of multiple possible delivery sites. The system and method determines a transport itinerary for each delivery unit to meet scheduling constraints.