Abstract: A method for confirming delivery of bulk material from a bed of a dump truck based on hydraulic pressure. The dump truck has a driving device moving the bed between a rest position and a delivery position. The method generally having: using a hydraulic pressure sensor, measuring a plurality of hydraulic pressure values indicative of pressure of a hydraulic fluid of the driving device as the bed is moved; and using a controller communicatively coupled to the hydraulic pressure sensor: monitoring a slope at which at least some of the plurality of hydraulic pressure values vary over a given period of time; and generating a delivery confirmation indicative that a delivery of the bulk material has occurred based on a comparison between the monitored slope and a delivery slope threshold.

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: 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: 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 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: 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: 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.