Construction Engineering
Hand-held device makes working with concrete easier
Dr. David Fowler, a civil engineering professor, and Eric Koehler, a civil engineering doctoral candidate, have developed an inexpensive, portable device that quickly measures concrete workability, which determines its strength and durability as well as the amount of labor required to install it.
Currently, workability is measured using the ultra low-tech “slump test,” where concrete is poured into a 12 in. high aluminum cone. When the cone is removed, the concrete “slumps,” down, demonstrating how thick it is. The problem is new types of high viscosity concrete have been developed and can’t pass the slump test. These high-viscosity concretes promise to drastically reduce labor costs, as they are much easier to work with.
The new device, a hand-held rheometer, can be brought to the field and immersed in the concrete. As its drill and bit rotates in the concrete, it quickly displays data on a small screen. This small, easy-to-use device is much more accurate and supplies much more data than the slump test.