N. Yenor
Solidwave, Michigan Technological University, Michigan, United States
Keywords: Non-contact sensing, non-destructive testing, concrete curing prediction
Solidwave is developing a non-contact sensor to directly measure the hydration process taking place in newly placed concrete. Current best practices are highly subjective and a source of errors that are time-consuming at best and lead to complete structure failures at worst. The ability to precisely measure stiffness 1) allow crews working in adverse weather conditions to get direct insight into stiffness trajectory so they may use retardants, start/stop auxiliary heating practices, or perform other functions to ensure high-quality structures regardless of weather conditions, 2) enables 3D printing crews the ability to make adjustments of the stiffness in real-time without compromising build print quality, and 3) enables sawcutting and demolding procedures to be performed at exactly the right time, minimizing idle time and ensuring cutting happens before random cracking. The measurement will become even more relevant as experienced crews continue to age out of the workforce at the same time when new, challenging concrete materials such as Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) are being introduced. Therefore, a concrete stiffening measurement device is crucial for supporting crews and less experienced field engineers as they navigate construction decision-making processes and activity scheduling.