Abstract: Fly ash, a byproduct of coal combustion, has extensive and beneficial use in concrete and cement mixes. Closure of coal-powered power plants has caused a significant reduction in live fly production ash and turned attention of concrete producers to harvested fly ash, which can be excavated from closed coal powered plant's impoundment to satisfy the need in the industry for fly ash. However, challenges arise from the unique qualities of harvested fly ash, which according to the art requires extensive grinding and other processing measures to render it suitable for concrete applications. This invention discloses the use of harvested fly ash in concrete where the particle size percentage of the fly ash is greater than that generally accepted in the art. Also disclosed is a method for use of this harvested fly ash as a supplementary cementitious material in concrete mixes.

Abstract: This system includes a concrete identification technology that is used in taking, testing, monitoring, and labeling concrete samples or members using custom labels called a tag. This tag comprises a series of corresponding labels, one for the outside of the form, and on for the inside of the form that becomes part of the concrete sample. These tags are physically bonded to the concrete specimen with only minimal impact on its shape and properties. In some embodiments the tags will contain a hook-and-loop or fiber type surface texture (protrusions) which is placed in the form with the protrusions facing the fresh concrete. The tag can also contain electronic circuitry to gather and track information about the concrete and the surrounding environment. This will eliminate the need to relabel the samples after demolding while also measuring a number of other parameters about the concrete and its performance.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, there is provided herein a method of determining the air void distribution in a sample of fresh concrete. One embodiment of the invention determines a parameter related to air void distribution by applying a known pressure to a fresh concrete sample, measuring a first value representative of the volume under compression, releases at least a portion of the pressure, reapplies the same pressure to the sample, measures a second value representative of the volume under the second compression, and uses differential between the first and second values to estimate a parameter related to the air void distribution.