Method and device for controlling the curing rate of concrete

• US 4,566,806 A
• Filed: 05/31/1983
• Issued: 01/28/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dick Debondt
• Original Assignee: Dick Debondt
• Inventors: DeBondt, Dick
• Primary Examiner(s): Frankfort, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schuster, David R.
• Application Number:
  US06/504,044
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 374/5, 374/10, 374/11, 374/12, 374/13, 374/16, 374/19, 374/20, 374/25, 374/53, 374/45, 374/50, 264/40.6
• US Class Current: 374/53
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 17/0063 Control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/42 for heating or cooling, e.g. steam jackets , by means of treating agents acting directly on the moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 9/10 with additional peculiarities such as surface shaping, insulating or heating, permeability to water or air
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2203/0092 Visco-elasticity, solidification, curing, cross-linking degree, vulcanisation or strength properties of semi-solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/383 Concrete or cement

Abstract

A method and device for controlling the curing rate of concrete comprising the measuring of the temperature of the concrete, assessing the momentaneous maturity of the concrete by means of the temperature variation and controlling the heat supply or dissipation on the basis of the momentaneous maturity in a manner such that at the end of the period the concrete has the desired maturity. A preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention comprises a temperature measuring device (15) to be connected to at least one temperature sensor (6,7), and a calculating device (16) connected to the temperature measuring device (15), assessing the momentaneous maturity and provided with a data input member (17) and a display member showing the assessed momentaneous maturity.

Claims

1. A method of curing concrete to a desired value of cure accumulated over a specified period of time subsequent to pouring thereof, which desired value of cure would not be accumulated over said specified period of time under normal conditions, which comprises the steps of:

(a) controlling the temperature of the concrete over an initial period of time while the concrete progressively cures to an assessed degree of partial cure thereof which, when augmented by that additional curing calculated to occur by the end of said specified period of time on the basis of an expected temperature variation of the concrete in the absence of such control, will yield said desired value of cure; and

(b) monitoring further progressive curing of the concrete after said initial period of time and in the absence of said control by measuring temperature variation of the concrete and comparing it with said expected temperature variation to detect disparity between said further progressive curing and said additional curing as calculated, and further controlling the temperature of said concrete when such disparity is detected as would otherwise cause the concrete to accumulate a further progressive curing significantly different from said additional curing as calculated.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises controlling the temperature of the concrete by first bringing it to a set temperature and then maintaining said set temperature.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 including the step of monitoring the temperature of the concrete during step (a).

4. The method as defined in claim 3 wherein the degree of partial cure of step (a) is assessed on the basis of the temperature of the concrete during step (a).

5. The method as defined in claim 2 including the step of monitoring the temperature of the concrete during step (a).

6. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the degree of partial cure of step (a) is assessed on the basis of the temperature of the concrete during step (a).

7. A system for imparting a desired maturity to concrete by the end of a predetermined time, which comprises:

(a) temperature control means for controlling the temperature of the concrete;

(b) sensing means for sensing the temperature of the concrete; and

(c) calculating means for calculating the moment at which the concrete has reached a partial value of cure due to the temperature at which the concrete has been kept by said temperature control means which for an expected temperature variation over the remainder of time from said moment to the end of said predetermined time is calculated to provide an additive curing to yield said desired maturity with said temperature control means inactivated, for inactivating said temperature control means at said moment, for monitoring the temperature variation of the concrete during said remainder of time and comparing such temperature variation with said expected temperature variation to determine departure therefrom, and for reactivating said temperature control means in response to departure from said expected temperature variation that would otherwise cause the concrete to accumulate an additive curing significantly different from said additive curing as calculated.

8. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said temperature control means comprises a heat supply, said sensing means comprises at least one temperature sensor to be housed in the concrete and a temperature measuring device to be connected to said temperature sensor, and said calculating means comprises a control device connected to a data input member, said control device being further connected to said temperature measuring device and said heat supply or dissipation device.