Concrete Curing Monitoring With Vacuum-Drawn Moisture Samples
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for monitoring concrete curing are inadequate for real-time adjustment to field conditions, leading to potential failures such as cracking, spalling, and loss of strength due to improper hydration, as they lack accurate, real-time information about concrete conditions.
Innovation Solution
A humidity monitoring system with a DPT sensor and vacuum pump to collect moisture samples from within the concrete, providing real-time data for adjusting the curing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If passive controls (membranes, curing compounds) are used to prevent curing failures, then concrete protection is provided, but the system lacks real-time monitoring capability and cannot adapt to atmospheric changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using sensors to continuously monitor concrete humidity and temperature, then feeding this data to a control system that automatically adjusts curing conditions. The system includes humidity sensors embedded in the concrete, temperature sensors, and a microcontroller that processes this data to control water spraying and membrane deployment, enabling real-time adaptation to atmospheric changes while maintaining reliable curing.
2Measurement precision
If laboratory testing methods (ASTM C 156) are used to evaluate curing effectiveness, then standardized results are obtained, but the measurements lack relevance to field conditions and cannot provide real-time adjustment capability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical laboratory testing with electronic sensing and data processing systems. Instead of manual ASTM C 156 testing, the system uses embedded humidity sensors, temperature sensors, and a microcontroller to continuously monitor curing conditions in the field, providing real-time data that is both accurate and directly applicable to field conditions.
3Loss of information
If multiple chilled mirror hygrometers are positioned at different depths to monitor concrete conditions, then comprehensive measurement coverage is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the concrete structure into multiple monitoring zones with separate sensor units positioned at different depths. Each zone has its own humidity and temperature sensors, allowing independent monitoring while using a standardized sensor design that reduces overall system complexity compared to using multiple complex chilled mirror hygrometers.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate, real-time monitoring of concrete curing conditions, allowing for optimized adjustments to improve the quality and durability of concrete by minimizing atmospheric impacts.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum pump that draws moisture samples from curing concrete into a sampling tank
Implementation Method 2
a dew point temperature (DPT) sensor in communication with the sampling tank
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatuses, systems, and methods for monitoring the curing of concrete employ a vacuum to draw a moisture sample from concrete (e.g., curing concrete, etc.) into the presence of a single dew point temperature (DPT) sensor. Moisture samples may be selectively drawn into the presence of the DPT sensor from sampling chambers within the concrete at a variety of locations across the concrete and/or from a variety of depths within the concrete. The dew point temperature data may be used to determine the quality of a concrete curing process.