Method for setting desired properties of a curable binder composition - Patent Application 20070122997

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for determining the respective proportions of at least two, in particular three, different additives to be added to a curable binder composition to set desired properties of the curable binder composition comprises the steps of: a) acquiring and / or determining at least one component parameter characterizing a chemical and / or physical property of at least one individual component of the curable binder composition; at least one processing parameter characterizing a desired processing property of the binder composition during processing; at least one exposure parameter characterizing a condition to which the binder composition will be exposed in a cured state; and optionally at least one environmental parameter characterizing an environmental condition during manufacturing, transportation, application, and / or curing of the binder composition; b) deriving, for each of the at least two additives, a proportion of each additive based on a predetermined functional relationship, wherein the predetermined functional relationship is defined such that the proportion of each additive can be calculated based on the parameters determined in step a); and c) making the respective proportions of the at least two additives derived in step b) available via a user interface, via a machine interface, and / or on a data storage medium.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a computer-implemented method for determining the respective proportions of at least two, particularly three, different additives to be added to a curable binder composition to set desired properties of the curable binder composition. [Background technology]

[0002] In the construction industry, hardenable binder compositions, such as mineral binder compositions, are widely used for a variety of applications, examples of such compositions being mortar, concrete, grout or screed compositions.

[0003] The main components of a hardenable mineral binder composition are a mineral binder, such as a cementitious binder, and optionally aggregate and water. Similarly, hardenable organic binder compositions based on organic binders, such as polyurethanes and / or epoxides, can also be produced. It is also known to provide hardenable binder compositions based on mixtures of mineral binders and organic binders.

[0004] In addition to the main components, additives are used in the curable binder composition to adjust the physical and / or chemical properties of the curable binder composition during processing and / or in the cured state. Additives are usually liquid or powdery substances that are added to the curable binder composition in small amounts. Nowadays, a wide range of different additives are available. Additives can be chosen, for example, from plasticizers, air entrainers, antifoaming agents, retarders, set accelerators, hardening accelerators, hydrophobizing agents or shrinkage reducing agents.

[0005] The use of additives makes it possible to tailor the curable binder composition to specific requirements, but selecting the correct additives in the appropriate dosages for a given application is a rather complicated process that requires a lot of technical experience.

[0006] This is especially true for concrete manufacturers, e.g., manufacturers of ready-mix or precast concrete, who need to offer different concrete mix designs to meet the differing demands of various customers and address various applications. Typically, the design of a concrete mix takes into account a variety of factors, including cement type, aggregate type and proportions, water-to-cement ratio (w / c), chemical additives, air properties, pouring method, and / or numerous other factors.

[0007] In this regard, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020 / 0402619A1 (Verifi LLC) discloses a method for managing a concrete manufacturer's mix design catalog based on, for example, identifying clusters of slump curve data obtained during concrete delivery monitoring during transport of individual concrete loads produced from various mix designs and sorting each curve cluster based on selection factors desired by the concrete manufacturer. This allows concrete manufacturers to organize, manage, and select mix designs from very large concrete mix design catalogs, ultimately reducing the number of mix designs that need to be considered to meet given project requirements, thus centralizing information for each given mix design and ultimately reducing over-design. Nevertheless, this approach does little to reduce the complexity of individual mix designs.

[0008] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011 / 0320040A1 (GR2008LLC) relates to a method for manufacturing concrete, and more particularly, to a method for adjusting the rheological properties of concrete in a ready-mix truck or static mixer by incremental dosing of a rheology modifier calculated with reference to a nominal dosage response profile. Specifically, the method for adjusting concrete rheology only requires initial selection of a load size and target rheology value, rather than requiring input of and reference to lookup tables of parameters such as water and hydration levels, mix ingredients, temperature, humidity, aggregate ingredients, etc. However, this approach is limited to determining the amount of a single type of additive to control the rheology of the concrete in a processable state.

[0009] Therefore, the control of mix design and the storage and handling of a large number of additives remains a major challenge, especially for mortar or concrete manufacturers.Therefore, there is still a need for new and improved solutions that overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages as much as possible. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] The object of the present invention is to provide an improved solution for producing hardenable binder compositions, in particular hardenable mineral binder compositions, with defined properties. Preferably, this solution should make it possible to provide a hardenable composition with the desired processing properties that can withstand preselected environmental conditions. This should result in a hardenable binder composition with as wide a range of properties as possible and with as few additives as possible. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] Surprisingly, it has been found that these objects can be achieved by the method according to independent claim 1.

[0012] Specifically, according to the present invention, there is provided a computer-implemented method for determining the respective proportions of at least two, in particular three, different additives to be added to a curable binder composition in order to set desired properties of the composition, the method comprising: a) - at least one component parameter characterizing a chemical and / or physical property of at least one individual component of the curable binder composition; - at least one processing parameter characterizing the desired processing properties of the binder composition during processing; - at least one exposure parameter characterizing the environmental conditions to which the binder composition will be exposed in the cured state; and Optionally, at least one environmental parameter characterizing the environmental conditions during the production, transportation, application and / or curing of the binder composition. obtaining and / or determining b) deriving, for each of the at least two additives, a proportion of each additive based on a predetermined functional relationship, the predetermined functional relationship being defined such that the concentration of the additive can be calculated based on the parameters determined in step a); c) making the respective proportions of the at least two additives derived in step b) available via a user interface, via a machine interface and / or on a data storage medium; Includes.

[0013] Ultimately, the concept of the present invention makes it possible to provide a curable composition with desired processing properties that can withstand desired requirements in the cured state, even with a very limited number of additives, yet still allow the processing properties to be adjusted over a wide range, allowing the composition to be tailored to withstand a wide variety of requirements.

[0014] In particular, a large number of additives are not required. In contrast, two or three additives are usually sufficient to set the desired properties within the range of interest in practice. This comes as a great surprise. Up until now, it was thought that a large number of different additives were necessary to set the desired properties of a curable composition.

[0015] Furthermore, by taking into account at least one component parameter, variations in the quality of the raw materials, e.g., cement and / or aggregates, can be directly compensated for in order to keep the properties of the binder composition constant during processing and in the hardened state.

[0016] Also, different environmental conditions during the manufacture, transportation, application, and / or curing of the binder composition can be directly compensated for. For example, real-time adjustment of additives due to different temperatures at different sites can be achieved. This allows the properties of the curable binder composition to remain constant and essentially independent of environmental conditions throughout the entire process, from manufacture to processing and curing.

[0017] Without wishing to be bound by theory, this is believed to be due to the fact that the proportions of each additive are derived in a predictable manner based on a predetermined functional relationship, which makes it possible to adjust the proportions of additives in a very targeted manner to obtain a curable binder composition with desired properties and consistent quality.

[0018] The concentrations determined by the method of the present invention can be provided to a user, for example, via a user interface, who can then add the respective proportions of additives to the hardenable binder composition. The concentrations determined by the method of the present invention can also be used directly to automatically control the production of the hardenable binder composition, for example, the production of concrete in a concrete plant. Thereby, the determined concentrations can be transferred to an automatic additive supply device via a machine interface.

[0019] Further aspects are described below and are the subject of further independent claims. Particularly preferred embodiments are outlined throughout the description and the dependent claims.

[0020] Methods of carrying out the invention A first aspect of the present invention relates to a computer-implemented method for determining the respective proportions of at least two, in particular three, different additives to be added to a curable binder composition in order to set desired properties of the composition, the method comprising: a) - at least one component parameter characterizing a chemical and / or physical property of at least one individual component of the curable binder composition; - at least one processing parameter characterizing the desired processing properties of the binder composition during processing; - at least one exposure parameter characterizing the environmental conditions to which the binder composition will be exposed in the cured state; and Optionally, at least one environmental parameter characterizing the environmental conditions during the production, transportation, application and / or curing of the binder composition. obtaining and / or determining b) deriving, for each of the at least two additives, a proportion of each additive based on a predetermined functional relationship, the predetermined functional relationship being defined such that the concentration of the additive can be calculated based on the parameters determined in step a); c) making the respective proportions of the at least two additives derived in step b) available via a user interface, via a machine interface and / or on a data storage medium; Includes.

[0021] A "curable binder" refers to a material that undergoes a chemical reaction to harden into a solid. Typically, curing of a curable binder is initiated by mixing with a curing agent, such as water, heating, irradiation, and / or exposure to moisture. Thus, a "curable binder composition" is a composition that includes at least a curable binder.

[0022] For example, the hardenable binder may be selected from a reactive resin, a mineral binder, a mineral binder composition, or mixtures thereof.

[0023] Reactive resins are in particular liquid or liquefiable synthetic resins that harden to duromers by polymerization or polyaddition. For example, unsaturated polyester resins, vinyl ester resins, acrylic resins, epoxy resins, polyurethane resins and / or silicone resins can be used.

[0024] By "hardenable mineral binder composition" is meant a material which comprises at least a mineral binder and which can harden to form a solid by chemical reaction after the addition of mixing water. In particular, it contains a binder, an aggregate and / or one or more additives. The aggregate can be, for example, gravel, sand (in natural and / or processed form, e.g., crushed form) and / or a filler. During processing, the mineral binder composition is in particular a fluid mineral binder composition mixed with mixing water.

[0025] The term "mineral binder" refers in particular to a binder that reacts in the presence of water in a hydration reaction to form a solid hydrate or hydrated phase, which can be, for example, a hydraulic binder (e.g., cement or hydraulic lime), a latent hydraulic binder (e.g., slag), a pozzolanic binder (e.g., fly ash) or a non-hydraulic binder (e.g., gypsum or white lime).

[0026] In particular, apart from the at least two, in particular three, different additives that are added to the curable binder composition to set the desired properties in the method of the present invention, the concentrations of the other components of the curable binder composition are preferably predefined for a given curable binder composition and kept constant throughout the process of the present invention.

[0027] However, for different applications, job specifications, and / or raw material variations, the concentrations of the other components of the hardenable binder composition can be adjusted, and the method of the present invention can be carried out at these concentrations as well.

[0028] In particular, the predetermined functional relationship used in step b) is related to a particular mix design, which means the composition of the curable binder composition with respect to all components except for at least two, in particular three, different additives that are added to the curable binder composition to set the desired properties of the curable binder composition.

[0029] The acquisition and / or determination of the parameters in step a) is performed, for example, by manually entering the respective data, reading the respective data via a machine interface, and / or by reading the respective data with a sensor.

[0030] A sensor should be understood in the broadest sense and denotes any device capable of determining a particular parameter in step a).

[0031] In particular, the sensor is selected from (i) a sensor capable of determining the chemical and / or physical properties of at least one individual component of the curable binder composition, and / or (ii) a sensor capable of measuring environmental conditions during the manufacture, transportation, application and / or curing of the binder composition.

[0032] For example, the sensor capable of determining the chemical and / or physical properties of at least one individual component of the curable binder composition is a particle size sensor, a particle shape sensor and / or a sensor for measuring alkali content.

[0033] The sensors capable of measuring environmental conditions are selected in particular from sensors capable of determining the temperature, humidity, solar irradiance, air pressure, wind speed, wind direction, atmospheric composition, altitude, and / or other meteorological parameters at the place of manufacture of the curable binder composition, at a place during transport of the curable binder composition, at a place of intermediate storage of the curable binder composition, and / or at the place of application of the curable binder composition.

[0034] The sensor may also be, for example, a traffic sensor capable of measuring the traffic density and / or the average speed of vehicles on the transport route during transport of the curable binder composition.

[0035] Furthermore, the acquisition and / or determination of the parameters in step a) can be achieved by reading in the respective data via a machine interface. The parameters thus acquired and / or determined can be obtained from sensors and / or in the form of processed data, for example, data provided online in a computer network, for example, data provided on an internet website. The latter can be, for example, traffic data and / or weather data. In particular, in step a), at least one parameter, in particular at least one environmental parameter, is measured by a sensor and / or calculated from sensor data. Thereby, in particular, sensors are installed in a transport device for the curable binder composition, in a temporary storage location for the curable binder composition, and / or in a location where the curable binder composition is applied.

[0036] In particular, in the case of manually input data, a user interface may be provided for querying at least one parameter, in particular all parameters, in which case in step a) the parameters can be obtained via a user interface, in particular a graphical user interface.

[0037] Thereby, in particular the user interface is configured such that for at least one parameter, in particular for all parameters, a predefined list of selectable parameters is presented to the user.

[0038] In particular, in step a) the input data is limited to parameters that are compatible with a given mix design of the hardenable binder composition, which can be achieved, for example, by rejecting incompatible parameters and / or by restricting the list of selectable parameters to compatible parameters.

[0039] In particular, each of the at least two additives is associated with its own functional relationship, which allows the proportion of each additive to be derived separately in step b).

[0040] According to a preferred embodiment, in step b), a functional relationship for each additive is selected from a list of different predetermined multivariate functions having at least two variables, the selection of the functional relationship being made depending on at least one exposure parameter; and at least one component characteristic and at least one process parameter, and optionally at least one environmental parameter, are used as variables in the selected multivariate function to calculate the concentration of each additive. In other words, in this case, the exposure parameter defines which functional relationship should be used in step c).

[0041] In particular, the at least one component parameter, the at least one environmental parameter, the at least one process parameter, and / or the at least one exposure parameter are each expressed numerically. Nevertheless, the parameters may be captured in the form of strings and / or symbols and subsequently assigned numerical values. This, in particular, facilitates the user's manual capture of the respective parameters.

[0042] Preferably, the functional relationship is based on a linear combination of (i) at least one component parameter, (ii) at least one process parameter, and, optionally, (iii) the product of at least one component parameter and at least one process parameter and / or at least one environmental parameter. A linear combination means an equation constructed from a set of terms by multiplying each term by a constant and adding the results. Such relationships have been found to be highly suitable for determining the concentration of an additive from the parameters considered.

[0043] In particular, the functional relationship is defined as follows: c i =c0+a i ·CP+b i PP and / or ci =c0+a i ·CP+b i PP+c i ·CP·PP and / or c i =c0+a i ·CP+b i PP+d i ENP and / or c i =c0+a i ·CP+b i PP+c i ·CP·PP+d i ENP (In the formula, c i = the proportion of the i-th additive (i=1, 2, 3, …); c0 = a constant value; a i , b i , c i , d i = coefficient of linear combination; CP = component parameter expressed in numerical value; PP = processing parameter expressed in numerical value; ENP = environmental parameter expressed in numerical value).

[0044] However, other functional relationships may also be used.

[0045] In particular, prior to step a), the functional relationship is obtained, in particular by means of a regression analysis, wherein the functional relationship, in particular the constants of the functional relationship, are obtained in particular by performing a regression analysis on a data set comprising the additive proportion and at least one component parameter, and optionally at least one environmental parameter, as independent variables, and the measured treatment and exposure parameters as dependent variables.

[0046] However, other approaches to determining functional relationships may also be used, such as machine learning approaches.

[0047] In particular, at least one component parameter is - the type of cement used in the hardenable binder composition, in particular a type of cement according to DIN EN 197-1:2011, ASTM C150 or CSA A3000-08, in particular selected from types CEM I, CEM II, CEM III, CEM IV, CEM V or CEM VI; and / or - the alkali content of the binders used in the hardenable binder composition, in particular the cement; and / or - the particle shape and / or size of the aggregates used in the hardenable binder composition, in particular a shape selected from round or crushed; characterizes.

[0048] These component parameters often have a significant impact on the processing and / or durability of the hardenable binder composition, especially the hardenable mineral binder composition, although alternatively or additionally, other component parameters may also be considered.

[0049] In particular, the at least one desired processing parameter is selected from rheological properties. In particular, the at least one desired processing parameter reflects the desired consistency of the curable binder composition, in particular the desired slump class, compaction class, flow class or slump-flow class, in accordance with DIN EN 206:2021. However, alternatively or additionally, other processing parameters may also be taken into account.

[0050] In particular, the at least one desired exposure parameter reflects a desired exposure class according to DIN EN 206:2021, in particular selected from the classes XO, XC1, XC2, XC3, XC4, XS1, XS2, XS3, XD1, XD2, XD3, XF1, XF2, XF3, XF4, XA1, XA2, XA3. However, alternatively or additionally, other exposure parameters may also be taken into account.

[0051] The at least one environmental parameter reflects, in particular, temperature, humidity, solar irradiance, air pressure, wind speed, wind direction, atmospheric composition, altitude, and / or other meteorological parameters at the location of manufacture of the curable binder composition, the location of the curable binder composition during transportation, the location of intermediate storage of the curable binder composition, and / or the location of application of the curable binder composition.

[0052] The at least one environmental parameter may also reflect the time between production and application of the curable binder composition, the time of transportation of the curable binder composition, the time of intermediate storage of the curable binder composition, and / or the traffic conditions during transportation of the curable binder composition, for example the traffic density and / or the average speed of vehicles on the transportation route during transportation of the curable binder composition.

[0053] In particular, the at least one environmental parameter reflects at least the environmental conditions at the application site, in particular at the site, of the curable binder composition. Even more preferably, the at least one environmental parameter also reflects the environmental conditions during transportation and / or intermediate storage, and even more preferably also the environmental conditions during the manufacture of the curable binder composition. This ensures that the curable binder composition has the right properties for the specific conditions at the site.

[0054] Preferably, the hardenable binder composition is a hardenable mineral binder composition, in particular a hardenable mortar, concrete or grout composition.

[0055] The mineral binder contained in the hardenable mineral binder composition is preferably selected from the group consisting of cement, gypsum, quicklime, slag, and fly ash, and mixtures thereof. The hardenable mineral binder composition preferably comprises at least one hydraulic binder, preferably a cementitious binder.

[0056] The hydraulic binder is preferably selected from the group consisting of portland cement, calcium aluminate cement, calcium sulfoaluminate cement, and mixtures thereof.

[0057] The cement used may be any available cement type or a mixture of two or more cement types, examples of which include cements classified in DIN EN 197-1: Portland cement (CEM I), Portland composite cement (CEM II), blast furnace slag cement (CEM III), pozzolanic cement (CEM IV), and composite cement (CEM V). Cements produced according to alternative standards, such as ASTM or Indian standards, are of course equally suitable. Particularly preferred are cements according to DIN EN 197-1, calcium sulfoaluminate cements, calcium aluminate cements, or mixtures thereof, optionally in admixture with calcium sulfate.

[0058] Most preferred are cements that contain Portland cement or Portland cement according to DIN EN 197-1. Portland cement is particularly readily available and enables the mortar to have good properties.

[0059] Also particularly suitable are mixtures of Portland cement, calcium aluminate cement and calcium sulfate, or mixtures of cement and calcium sulfoaluminate cement, which allow short setting times and high initial hardness.

[0060] The hardenable composition preferably further comprises aggregate, in particular mineral aggregate. Aggregates are chemically inert solid particulate materials available in a variety of shapes, sizes and different materials, from very fine sand particles to large coarse stones. In principle, all aggregates commonly used in concrete and mortar are suitable.

[0061] Examples of particularly suitable fillers include rock particle size fractions, gravel, sand, especially silica sand and limestone sand, crushed stone, calcined pebbles, or lightweight fillers such as expanded clay, expanded glass, foam glass, pumice, perlite, and vermiculite. Other advantageous aggregates are calcium carbonate, aluminum oxide, amorphous silica (silica fume), or crystalline silica (quartz flour).

[0062] In particular, the at least two, in particular three, different additives are selected from plasticizers, thickeners, air entrainers, antifoaming agents, retarders, set accelerators, hardening accelerators, hydrophobizing agents, or shrinkage reducing agents.

[0063] In particular, the number of additives added to the curable binder composition to set the desired properties is limited to two, three or four different additives. In particular, there are three different additives.

[0064] In particular, there are three different additives including plasticizers, retarders and air entrainers.

[0065] Examples of suitable plasticizers include lignosulfonates, sulfonated naphthalene-formaldehyde condensates, sulfonated melamine-formaldehyde condensates, sulfonated vinyl copolymers, polyalkylene glycols bearing phosphonic acid groups, polyalkylene glycols bearing phosphate groups, polycarboxylates or polycarboxylate ethers, or mixtures of the mentioned plasticizers; polycarboxylate ethers are understood to include comb polymers having anionic groups on the polymer backbone and with polyalkylene oxide side chains, the anionic groups being chosen in particular from carboxylic acid groups, sulfonic acid groups, phosphonic acid groups or phosphate groups.

[0066] For example, the retarder is selected from lignosulfonates, hydroxycarboxylic acids and their salts, phosphonates, sugars and sugar derivatives, and / or borates.

[0067] The air entraining agent is selected from, for example, a surfactant, a resin soap or a mixture thereof, the air entraining agent being preferably a surfactant. As rosin soaps, in particular soaps of natural resins, such as tall oil, gum rosin or wood rosin, and their derivatives, such as maleic acid adducts, are suitable. Resin soaps can be obtained by saponification of natural resins with bases, such as alkali hydroxides. The surfactant can be, for example, anionic, cationic, nonionic, amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactants, or mixtures of these surfactants. A variety of surfactants of different structural types are known and commercially available for use as air entraining agents.

[0068] The method of the invention can in principle be carried out in any kind of computer and / or control device.

[0069] According to a particular embodiment, the method is carried out on a mobile computer device. In this context, a mobile computer device is meant in particular to be a handheld computer, i.e. a computer small enough to be held and operated by a human hand, in particular selected from a mobile phone, a mobile computer or a portable computer. This allows the user to find the correct proportions of at least two different additives directly on the construction site in order to obtain a curable binder composition with properties suitable for a given application.

[0070] In another preferred embodiment, the method is performed in a control device of a machine configured to produce a hardenable mineral binder composition, such as a mixing device for preparing a ready-mix mineral binder composition and / or precast concrete, for example in a concrete plant.

[0071] In particular, the method can be implemented in various ways, for example in the form of a stand-alone application running on a mobile device and / or a machine controller, without requiring any additional resources, for example a server system. This is particularly useful in areas with limited access to communication networks, for example in areas far from urban centers or underground. However, the method can also be implemented in a distributed computing environment, for example including mobile devices and / or controllers as clients in combination with dedicated servers and / or specialized processing devices as storage devices.

[0072] The method of the present invention can also be implemented in a flexible manner using software architectures known as, for example, native applications, progressive web applications (PWAs), or hybrid applications (combinations of native and PWAs). Such applications can also include useful internet links to tutorials or support sites and sharing functionality (e.g., via email, Bluetooth, AirDrop, or other communication means). The method of the present invention can also be implemented in a single application or split into two or more separate applications with appropriate software interfaces for data exchange between the applications. Furthermore, applications can be extended in a flexible manner with additional functionality.

[0073] The application may be implemented on any type of operating system, such as, for example, iOS, Android, Microsoft Windows and / or Linux.

[0074] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a curable binder composition having predetermined desired properties, comprising the steps of: (i) providing a hardenable binder composition, in particular a mortar, concrete or grout composition; (ii) providing at least two, in particular three, different additives that are added to the curable binder composition of step (i) to obtain a curable binder composition with desired properties; (iii) determining the respective proportions of at least two, in particular three, different additives to be added to the curable binder composition according to the method described above; (iv) adding at least two, in particular three, different additives to the curable binder composition in the proportions determined in step (iii); The present invention relates to a method comprising:

[0075] Thereby, the curable binder composition and additives are defined above.

[0076] The at least one component parameter used in step (iii) is a component parameter of the curable binder composition provided in step (i).

[0077] The at least one environmental parameter optionally used in step (iii) is in particular the temperature at the place of manufacture of the curable binder composition and / or at the place of application of the curable binder composition.

[0078] In particular, at least one component parameter, and optionally at least one environmental parameter, is determined by measuring, in particular, before and / or during step (i). This can be achieved, for example, by measuring the respective parameter of the component before mixing with the other components of the curable binder composition. The at least one environmental parameter can, for example, be obtained using a sensor, as described above.

[0079] The method can be carried out as a batch or continuous process, and steps (i) to (iv) can thus be carried out sequentially, in particular in a given order, or at least partly simultaneously.

[0080] In particular, in a continuous process, at least steps (i), (ii), and (iv), preferably all steps (i) to (iv), are carried out continuously, preferably simultaneously. In other words, in a continuous process, the curable binder composition and at least two, in particular three, different additives are provided continuously, the latter being added continuously to the curable binder composition in the proportions determined in step (iii).

[0081] Thereby, step (iii) can be carried out once or repeatedly. Repeatedly carrying out step (iii) has the advantage that, for example, variations in the properties and / or quality of the components and / or variations in the environmental conditions during the production, transportation, application and / or curing of the curable binder composition can be compensated for by adjusting the proportions of the at least two additives. In this case, at least one component parameter and / or at least one environmental parameter is repeatedly, in particular continuously, determined, in particular measured, during step (i).

[0082] This allows real-time adjustment of the proportions of the at least two additives depending on at least one component parameter and / or at least one environmental parameter, which is particularly beneficial when producing ready-mix compositions and / or precast concrete in concrete plants.

[0083] Step (iv) is preferably carried out in a mixing device.

[0084] In particular, in step (iv), each of the at least two, in particular three, different additives is added to the curable binder composition by a separate additive supply device, in particular in a mixing device, comprising, for example, a container for the additive, a controllable valve for adding the additive to the curable binder composition, and optionally, a flow meter for measuring the amount of additive added.

[0085] The addition of additives by the individual additive feeders is preferably controlled automatically based on the respective proportions of the at least two additives determined in step (iii), although manual control of the feeders is also possible.

[0086] In particular, the method is carried out for producing ready-mix concrete and / or precast concrete, in particular in a concrete plant.

[0087] A further aspect of the present invention relates to a method for producing a hardenable binder composition, in particular a hardenable mortar, concrete or grout composition, in particular a ready-mix concrete, having certain desired properties, the method being carried out in particular in a concrete plant, comprising: (i) providing a hardenable binder composition, in particular a mortar, concrete or grout composition; (ii) providing at least two, in particular three, different additives; (iii) determining the respective proportions of at least two, in particular three, different additives to be added to the curable binder composition in order to set the desired properties of the curable binder composition using a computer-implemented method, the computer-implemented method comprising: a) - at least one component parameter characterizing a chemical and / or physical property of at least one individual component of the curable binder composition; - at least one processing parameter characterizing the desired processing properties of the binder composition during processing; - at least one exposure parameter characterizing the conditions to which the binder composition will be exposed in the cured state; and Optionally, at least one environmental parameter characterizing the environmental conditions during the production, transportation, application and / or curing of the binder composition. obtaining and / or determining b) deriving, for each of the at least two additives, a proportion of each additive based on a predetermined functional relationship, the predetermined functional relationship being defined such that the proportion of each additive can be calculated based on the parameters determined in step a); c) making the respective proportions of the at least two additives derived in step b) available via a user interface, via a machine interface and / or on a data storage medium; and (iv) adding at least two, in particular three, different additives of step (ii) in the proportions determined in step (iii) to the curable binder composition of step (i); Includes.

[0088] All the above embodiments also relate to this aspect.

[0089] A further aspect of the invention is a computer program or computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause a computing device to carry out the above method.

[0090] Another aspect relates to a system including a computer device, the system being configured to perform the above method, in particular the system being a control device for a concrete plant.

[0091] Further advantageous implementations of the invention are evident from the exemplary embodiments.

[0092] The drawings used to explain the embodiments are as follows: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0093] [Figure 1] 1 is a flow chart of a computer-implemented method of the present invention for determining the respective proportions of two or three different additives to be added to a hardenable binder composition, such as a concrete composition, to set desired properties of the hardenable binder composition. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus for producing a hardenable binder composition, such as a concrete composition, using the method of the present invention. [Figure 3a-b] 1 is a user interface of a computer program running on a mobile computing device that implements the method of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0094] Illustrative Embodiments 1 shows a flow chart of a computer-implemented method 10 of the present invention for determining the respective proportions of two or three different additives to be added to a hardenable binder composition, such as a concrete composition, to set desired properties of the hardenable binder composition, whereby, apart from the two or three different additives to be added, the hardenable binder composition is predefined with respect to all other components.

[0095] In a first step 11, the component parameters CP, the environmental parameters ENP, the process parameters PP and the exposure parameters EP are obtained, for example, via a graphical user interface configured to present the user with a predefined list of selectable items for all parameters.

[0096] The component parameter CP characterizes, for example, the particle shape of the aggregate (e.g., round or crushed) or the alkali content of the binder used in the settable binder composition. The environmental parameter ENP is, for example, the temperature at the application location of the settable binder composition and is selected, for example, from three typical temperature ranges. The processing parameter PP slump is selected, in particular, from a slump class (e.g., S1, S2, S3, or S4). The exposure parameter EP can be a desired exposure class (e.g., XO, XC1, XC2, XC3, XC4, XS1, XS2, XS3, XD1, XD2, XD3, XF1, XF2, XF3, XF4, XA1, XA2, XA3). CP, ENP, PP, and EP can be automatically converted to numerical values ​​in step 11.

[0097] In a second step 12, for each of the at least two or three additives, the proportion of each additive is calculated based on a predetermined functional FR relationship. The predetermined functional relationship FR, which has been determined in advance by testing, is stored, for example, in a memory device M, and i =c0+a i ·CP+b i PP+d i ENP and / or c i =c0+a i ·CP+b i PP+c i ·CP·PP+d i ·ENP(in the formula, c i = the proportion of the i-th additive (i=1, 2, 3, …); c0 = a constant value; a i , b i , c i , d i = coefficient of linear combination; CP = component parameter expressed in numerical value; PP = processing parameter expressed in numerical value; ENP = environmental parameter expressed in numerical value).

[0098] Specifically, in a first sub-step 12.1, the concentration c1 of a first additive A1, e.g., a plasticizer, is calculated by selecting a predetermined functional relationship based on the exposure parameter EP. By considering the component parameters and process parameters in the predetermined functional relationship, the concentration of additive A1 can be calculated directly.

[0099] Similarly, in a second sub-step 12.2 the concentration c2 of a second additive A2, e.g. a retarder, is calculated, and if a third additive A3, e.g. an air entrainer, is used its concentration c3 is calculated in a third sub-step 12.3.

[0100] In a third step 13, the concentrations c1, c2, c3 of the additives A1, A2 and A3 are made available, for example, via a user interface, for example a display.

[0101] The user can then prepare a curable binder composition with the desired processing and exposure characteristics by adding the respective concentrations of the additives to the curable binder composition.

[0102] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of an apparatus for producing a hardenable binder composition, such as a concrete composition, using the method of the present invention.

[0103] The curable binder composition CB, tailored for processing and exposure characteristics, is provided to a mixing device 25, and the three different additives A1, A2, A3 described above in conjunction with Figure 1 are provided separately. Additionally, the temperature at the intended application site of the curable binder can be measured with a remote temperature sensor 26.

[0104] Three individually controllable additive feeders 21, 22, 23 allow controlled amounts of additives to be introduced into the mixer 25. The proportions of additives A1, A2, A3 to be added are calculated by the controller 21, which is configured to carry out the process of Figure 1. In batch processing mode, the concentrations of the additives are determined and then the respective proportions of additives are added to and mixed with the hardenable binder in the mixer 25.

[0105] This results in a curable binder CB′ having the desired processing and exposure characteristics, which can be removed from the mixing device 25 .

[0106] In an alternative continuous process mode, the curable binder CB and additives A1, A2, A3 are continuously introduced into the mixing device and the modified curable binder CB' is continuously removed from the mixing device, whereby the concentrations of additives A1, A2, A3 can be repeatedly calculated and adjusted based on the actual values ​​of the component parameters, which in this case are continuously measured.

[0107] Figure 3a shows an input mask presented on a touchscreen 30 of a mobile computing device, which executes a computer program implementing the method of the present invention.

[0108] The selection list 31 allows for the selection of the exposure class of the concrete to be produced. The exposure class will determine the base concrete mix (e.g., water-to-cement ratio; aggregate percentage) to be used and the specific predetermined functional relationship selected from a set of several predetermined functional relationships stored in the computer program. The selected specific predetermined functional relationship can later be used to calculate the proportions of the three additives to be added to the base concrete mix.

[0109] Selection list 32 and input field 33 allow the selection of the cement type and the input of the cement's alkali content, respectively. The type of cement and its alkali content usually have a strong influence on the dosage of additives, especially the amount of superplasticizer needed to achieve the desired consistency. The cement type determines how the alkali content should be considered. For example, for CEM III or CEM V type cements, the alkali content is irrelevant and can be set to a constant stored in the computer program. However, for other cements, such as CEM I and II, the alkali content is relevant and needs to be provided by the user (via input field 33).

[0110] A further selection list 34 allows the selection of the type of aggregate. For example, one can choose between three different types of aggregate: river aggregate, semi-crushed aggregate or crushed aggregate. Each corresponds to a level of problematicity. The more problematic the aggregate, the higher the dosage of additives that needs to be set to achieve the desired consistency.

[0111] The selection list 35 allows the selection of the consistency of the concrete, for example there are three options: S3 (slump between 100 and 150 mm), S4 (slump between 160 and 210 mm) and SCC (self-compacting concrete with a slump flow SF2 between 650 and 750 mm).

[0112] A selection list 36 allows the selection of the temperature of the concrete, for example there are three different options: 10°C, 20°C or 30°C corresponding to three different seasons (winter / mid-season / summer).

[0113] Once all parameters have been obtained, the concentrations of the three additives are calculated in a similar manner as described in Figure 1. The program then displays on the touch screen 30 the proportions 37, 38, 39 of the three additives to be added to the concrete mix to obtain the desired consistency and exposure class, as shown in Figure 3b.

[0114] The embodiments shown are merely examples and can be modified as desired within the scope of the invention.

[0115] For example, instead of or in addition to the temperature, the traffic conditions during the transportation of the curable binder composition to the site, e.g. the traffic density and / or the average speed of vehicles on the transportation route during the transportation of the curable binder CB', can be obtained online via a traffic website and taken into account as the environmental parameter ENP or the further environmental parameter ENP'.

[0116] Similarly, in the example of FIG. 3, one or more of the parameters, for example cement type and / or aggregate type, may be obtained directly from the network device via the machine interface, without having to be provided by the user.

Claims

1. 1. A computer-implemented method for determining the respective proportions of at least two, in particular three, different additives to be added to a curable binder composition in order to set desired properties of said curable binder composition, comprising: a) - at least one component parameter characterizing a chemical and / or physical property of at least one individual component of said curable binder composition; - at least one processing parameter characterizing the desired processing properties of said binder composition during processing; at least one exposure parameter characterizing the conditions to which the binder composition will be exposed in the cured state; and Optionally, at least one environmental parameter characterizing the environmental conditions during the production, transportation, application and / or curing of said binder composition. obtaining and / or determining b) deriving, for each of the at least two additives, a proportion of the respective additive based on a predetermined functional relationship, the predetermined functional relationship being defined such that the proportion of the respective additive can be calculated based on the parameters determined in step a); c) making the respective proportions of the at least two additives derived in step b) available via a user interface, via a machine interface and / or on a data storage medium; A method comprising:

2. In step b), - the functional relationship is selected from a list of different predefined multivariate functions having at least two variables, the selection of the functional relationship being made in dependence on the at least one exposure parameter; and - said at least one component parameter and said at least one process parameter, and optionally said at least one environmental parameter, are used as variables in said selected multivariable function to calculate the concentration of said respective additive; The method of claim 1.

3. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the functional relationship is based on a linear combination of (i) the at least one component parameter, (ii) the at least one process parameter, and, optionally, (iii) a product of the at least one component parameter and the at least one process parameter and / or the at least one environmental parameter.

4. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein prior to step a), the functional relationship is obtained, in particular by means of a regression analysis, in particular the functional relationship, in particular the constants of the functional relationship, are obtained by performing a regression analysis on a data set comprising the additive proportion and the at least one component parameter, and optionally the at least one environmental parameter, as independent variables, and the measured treatment and exposure parameters as dependent variables.

5. The at least one component parameter is: the type of cement used in the hardenable binder composition, in particular a type of cement according to DIN EN 197-1:2011, ASTM C150 or CSA A3000-08, in particular selected from types CEM I, CEM II, CEM III, CEM IV, CEM V or CEM VI; and / or the alkali content of the binder used in the hardenable binder composition, in particular the cement; and / or the particle shape and / or size of the aggregates used in said hardenable binder composition, in particular a shape selected from round or crushed; The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that

6. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processing parameter reflects a desired consistency of the hardenable binder composition, in particular a desired slump class, compaction class, flow class or slump-flow class, in accordance with DIN EN 206:2021.

7. 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the at least one desired exposure parameter reflects a desired exposure class according to DIN EN 206:2021, in particular selected from the classes XO, XC1, XC2, XC3, XC4, XS1, XS2, XS3, XD1, XD2, XD3, XF1, XF2, XF3, XF4, XA1, XA2, XA3.

8. 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one environmental parameter reflects the temperature, humidity, solar irradiance, air pressure, wind speed, wind direction, atmospheric composition, altitude, and / or other meteorological parameters at the place of manufacture of the curable binder composition, at the place of transport of the curable binder composition, at the place of intermediate storage of the curable binder composition, and / or at the place of application of the curable binder composition; and / or the at least one environmental parameter reflects the time between manufacture and application of the curable binder composition, the time of transport of the curable binder composition, the time of intermediate storage of the curable binder composition, and / or traffic conditions during transport of the curable binder composition.

9. 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein in step a) at least one parameter, in particular all parameters, are obtained via a user interface, in particular a graphical user interface, which is configured such that for said at least one parameter, in particular all parameters, a predefined list of selectable parameters is presented to the user.

10. 10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein in step a) at least one parameter, in particular the at least one environmental parameter, is measured by sensors and / or calculated from sensor data, in particular sensors being installed in a transport device for the curable binder composition, at a temporary storage location for the curable binder composition and / or at a location of application of the curable binder composition.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the method is performed on a mobile computing device, in particular on a device selected from a mobile phone, a mobile computer or a portable computer.

12. 1. A method for producing a curable binder composition having predetermined desired properties, comprising: (i) providing a hardenable binder composition, in particular a mortar, concrete or grout composition; (ii) providing at least two, in particular three, different additives that are added to the curable binder composition of step (i) to obtain a curable binder composition having the desired properties; (iii) determining the respective proportions of at least two, in particular three, different additives to be added to the curable binder composition according to the method of any one of claims 1 to 11; (iv) adding said at least two, in particular three, different additives to said curable binder composition in the proportions determined in step (iii); A method comprising:

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the hardenable binder composition is a hardenable mineral binder composition, in particular a hardenable mortar, concrete or grout composition.

14. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the at least two, in particular three, different additives comprise a plasticizer, a retarder, and optionally an air entrainer.

15. 15. A method, in particular according to any one of claims 12 to 14, for producing a hardenable binder composition, in particular a hardenable mortar, concrete or grout composition, especially ready-mix concrete, having predetermined desired properties, said method being in particular carried out in a concrete plant, (i) providing said hardenable binder composition, in particular a mortar, concrete or grout composition; (ii) providing at least two, in particular three, different additives; (iii) determining the proportions of each of the at least two, in particular three, different additives to be added to the curable binder composition in order to set desired properties of the curable binder composition using a computer-implemented method, the computer-implemented method comprising: a) - at least one component parameter characterizing a chemical and / or physical property of at least one individual component of said curable binder composition; - at least one processing parameter characterizing the desired processing properties of said binder composition during processing; at least one exposure parameter characterizing the conditions to which the binder composition will be exposed in the cured state; and Optionally, at least one environmental parameter characterizing the environmental conditions during the production, transportation, application and / or curing of said binder composition. obtaining and / or determining b) deriving, for each of the at least two additives, a proportion of the respective additive based on a predetermined functional relationship, the predetermined functional relationship being defined such that the proportion of the respective additive can be calculated based on the parameters determined in step a); c) making the respective proportions of the at least two additives derived in step b) available via a user interface, via a machine interface and / or on a data storage medium; and (iv) adding said at least two, in particular three, different additives of step (ii) in the proportions determined in step (iii) to said curable binder composition of step (i); A method comprising:

16. 16. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the curable binder composition and the at least two, in particular three, different additives are provided continuously, and the at least two, in particular three, different additives are added continuously to the curable binder composition in the proportions determined in step (iii), and step (iii) is carried out repeatedly, in particular to compensate for variations in the nature and / or quality of the components of the curable composition and / or to compensate for environmental conditions during production, transportation, application and / or curing of the curable binder composition.

17. 17. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein in step (iv) each of the at least two, in particular three different additives is added to the curable binder composition by a respective additive supply device, and the addition of the additives by the respective additive supply devices is automatically controlled based on the respective proportions of the at least two additives determined in step (iii).

18. A computer program comprising instructions that cause a computer to carry out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 17 when the program is executed by a computer.

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