Development of A Real-Time Vibrator Tracking System for Intelligent Concrete Consolidation


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CAIT project no.: CAIT-UTC-027

Fiscal Year: 2012/2013

Status: Final

Rutgers-CAIT Author(s): Jie Gong, Ph.D., Patrick Szary, Ph.D.

External Author(s): E. David Lambert III, P.E.

Sponsor(s): New Jersey Department of Transportation, FHWA - RITA

Summary:

Proper consolidation of concrete is critical to the long-term strength of concrete bridge structures. Vibration is a method commonly used to consolidate concrete and remove the excessive entrapped air. Vibrations are introduced to freshly placed concrete using various tools. Producing a dense concrete without segregation requires an experienced vibrator operator that is able to minimize over or under consolidation. The industry currently relies on visual inspection for quality control, which may result in quality problems. Thus, there is no reliable method available to track the quality of concrete consolidation during concrete placement. There is a need to develop methods to reliably and rapidly record the vibration penetration patterns used to consolidate concrete, and use the information in real-time to guide operators in properly consolidating freshly placed concrete.