Ul asonic NDT de e mina ion o ini ial and inal
se ing ime o cemen pas e
Pe Misák1,*, Ba ba a Kucha czyko á1, Dalibo Kocáb1 and Tomáš Vymazal1
1B no Uni e si y o Technology, Ve eří 95, 602 00 B no, Czech Republic
Abs ac . The e a e se e al me hods o de e mina ion o he se ing and
ea ly ha dening in he cemen i ious composi es. The mos common me hod
is using he Vica appa a us. The majo disad an age o his me hod is ha
i is in asi e and he e o e he measu emen esul s exhibi high a iabili y.
The pape deals wi h he con inual moni o ing o he p ocess o se ing and
ea ly ha dening o a cemen pas e using he ul asonic measu emen . The
inno a i e me hod o using he ul asonic NDT me hod o de e mina ion o
he se ing imes o cemen pas e is p esen ed in he pape .
1 In oduc ion
The p ocess o se ing and ha dening o binde s is a complex p ocess in luenced by in e nal
chemical and physical p ocesses and ex e nal cu ing condi ions. The se ing imes o cemen
(o cemen pas e) signi ican ly a ec s no only he p ope ies o esh conc e e (eg
wo kabili y) bu also o ha dened conc e e (sh inkage de elopmen , s eng h, elas ic
p ope ies, e c.). I is known ha he se ing imes o cemen (binde ) a e di e en om he
se ing imes o he inal p oduc , such as mo a s o conc e e [1]. Di e ences in se ing and
ha dening beha iou can also be obse ed be ween he mo a p oduced by di ec mixing o
he indi idual componen s and he mo a p epa ed by sie ing he esh conc e e [2]. The e
a e se e al s anda dized me hods o de e mining he se ing ime o binde s, mo a s and
conc e e [3-6]. All men ioned me hods a e based on he measu emen o he pene a ion dep h
o he pene a ion needle ( es ing o binde s) o esis ance agains pene a ion ( es ing o
mo a s and conc e e). A majo disad an age o hese me hods is ha hey a e in asi e
me hods and he ac ha one me hod canno be used o all h ee ypes o cemen -based
ma e ials. Besides he di e en dimensions o he pene a ion ools, he size o he specimen
is also di e en . The mos widely used and s anda dized me hod o de e mining he se ing
imes o cemen is using he Vica appa a us acco ding o EN 196-3 [3]. The se ing ime is
conside ed as a ime a e which he needle pene a es he cemen pas e o no mal consis ency
o he speci ic dep h [3].
The aim o his pape is o p esen he possibili ies o using he ul asonic pulse me hod
o con inuous moni o ing o he p ocess o se ing and ha dening o cemen pas e by
Vikasonic appa a us. The main ad an age o his me hod is ha i is he non-des uc i e and
non-in asi e me hod, as well as he abili y o moni o he beha iou o all h ee ypes abo e
men ioned cemen i ious ma e ials (binde s, mo a s, and conc e e) using he same es
* Co esponding au ho : [email p o ec ed]
© The Au ho s, published by EDP Sciences. This is an open access a icle dis ibu ed unde he e ms o he C ea i e Commons
A ibu ion License 4.0 (h p://c ea i ecommons.o g/licenses/by/4.0/).
MATEC Web o Con e ences 310, 00027 (2020) h ps://doi.o g/10.1051/ma eccon /202031000027
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con igu a ion. A new me hod o e alua ing he se ing imes based on he ul asonic (US)
pulse eloci y me hod and he in e nal empe a u e measu emen in he specimen is p esen ed
in his pape .
2 Expe imen al pa
2.1 Measu ing me hod
Ul asonic appa a us Vicasonic was used o he pu pose o he expe imen . The p inciple o
measu emen by he Vikasonic appa a us is based on moni o ing he ansi ime o ul asonic
pulse h ough he ma e ial, om which he eloci y o he US wa e p opaga ion is calcula ed.
The Vikasonic appa a us consis s o wo US ansduce s ( ansmi e and ecei e ) ixed a
he op and bo om o he measu ing chambe , he Vica ing, a empe a u e senso , and a da a
logge . The measu ing base (a dis ance be ween ansduce s) is de ined by he heigh o he
Vica ing. The 54 kHz ansduce s a e capable o ansmi and ecei e US pulses anging
om 6 o 120 pulses pe minu e. Du ing he measu emen , he pulse ansmi e is loca ed on
he op and he ecei e on he bo om o he Vica ing. The es con igu a ion is shown in
Fig. 1. The ac ual alues o measu ed p ope ies a e shown on he display and he da a a e
eco ded digi ally o a USB lash d i e du ing he whole ime o he es du a ion.
Fig. 1. Vikasonic appa a us.
Simul aneously wi h moni o ing he US pulse ansi ime, he empe a u e inside he es
specimens can be eco ded using he empe a u e senso inse ed h ough he uppe pa o
he measu ing chambe . Pe o med expe imen s showed ha he moni o ing o he ac ual
de elopmen o he in e nal empe a u e o he specimens is c ucial o e alua ing he se ing
imes using ul asonic measu emen . The empe a u e cu e e lec s he ongoing chemical
eac ions o he hyd a ion p ocess, which a e ela ed o he ea ly phase o he solidi ica ion
p ocess o cemen i ious ma e ials. The measu emen p ocedu e includes also he calib a ion
s ep, which elimina es he ime losses due o he p esence o he coupling agen and po en ial
ime losses ela ed o he ype o he used cables and ansmi e s. This calib a ion can be
pe o med using he e e ence ba supplied wi h he Vikasonic appa a us pe o med be o e
he s a o he measu emen . This calib a ion may be in luenced by inaccu acies due o he
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illing and inal closing o he measu ing chambe . The e o e, he au ho s use ano he
p ocedu e o calib a ion o he measu emen which is explained in he ollowing pa ag aphs.
Fig. 2 shows he ou pu o measu emen pe o med on he cemen pas e o no mal
consis ency p epa ed acco ding o he EN 196-3 [3]. The cemen pas e o no mal consis ency
was p epa ed using CEM I 42.5 R. The esul s a e discussed in he ollowing sec ions. In his
sec ion, jus a gene al p ocedu e used o da a e alua ion is desc ibed in de ail. The same
p ocedu e is used also o he e alua ion o measu emen pe o med o o he cemen pas e
p epa ed om CEM I 52.5 R cemen .
The da a o US pulse eloci y calcula ed based on a eal measu ed US pulse ansi ime
and eal measu ed empe a u e cu e we e smoo hed by using a cubic spline o he pu pose
o la e da a p ocessing. The au ho s use supplemen al US de ice PUNDIT o pe o m he
calib a ion o he measu emen . One o he mo i a ions o his app oach is he equency o
ul asonic ansmi e s. The Vikasonic appa a us is equipped wi h he ansmi e s o he
equency o 54 kHz which is a equency sui able o de e mining he US pulse ansi ime
o he esh cemen pas e. Howe e , he sui abili y o hese ansmi e s dec eases du ing
se ing and ha dening o he ma e ial. Wi h espec o he leng h o he measu ing base (heigh
o he Vica ing is 40 mm), i can be s a ed ha ansmi e s wi h a highe equency a e mo e
sui able o measu emen a e eaching he se ing ime and du ing la e ha dening.
The e o e, he au ho s ecommend he ollowing p ocedu e. Immedia ely a e he Vikasonic
measu emen is comple ed, he US pulse ansi ime o he al eady ha dened specimen using
he PUNDIT ins umen o ano he ul asonic ins umen wi h a ansmi e equency o a
leas 150 kHz has o be de e mined. Subsequen ly, he las measu ed alue o US pulse ansi
ime eco ded by he Vikasonic appa a us is sub ac ed om he US pulse ansi ime
de e mined using he PUNDIT ins umen . This de ia ion is hen sub ac ed om all alues
o he US pulse ansi ime eco ded by he Vikasonic appa a us. The abo e-desc ibed
calib a ion p ocedu e assumes ha he alue o he de ia ion is cons an du ing he whole
ime o pe o med measu emen , which may no be ue because o he changes in he
p ope ies o he in es iga ed ma e ial du ing he solidi ica ion p ocess. Howe e , i seems
ha his app oach appea s o be he mos sui able echnique o calib a ion o measu emen
pe o med by he Vikasonic appa a us.
The p ocedu e o de e mining he se ing imes o he cemen pas e o no mal consis ency
by Vikasonic appa a us is based on he de e mina ion o he speci ic poin s on he cu e o
in e nal empe a u e and US pulse eloci y eco ded simul aneously du ing solidi ica ion o
he cemen pas e. The e alua ion is based on he ans e o speci ic poin s o he empe a u e
cu e o he US pulse eloci y cu e (see Fig. 3). These speci ic poin s, which can be ound
on he empe a u e cu e du ing he i s 24 hou s o se ing and ha dening, a e minimum and
maximum empe a u e, and wo in lec ion poin s, ie poin s wi h ze o second de i a i e, in
which he empe a u e cu e changes om con ex o a conca e shape. Smoo hing he da a
o he eco ded empe a u e cu e wi h cubic splines is bene icial o inding hese poin s.
The poin s ans e ed o he US pulse eloci y cu e ha e he same x coo dina e as o he
empe a u e cu e (see Fig. 3).
E alua ion o ini ial se ing ime (IST) and inal se ing ime (FST) o cemen pas e o
no mal consis ency is based on sea ching o in e sec ions o angen lines and he s aigh
line connec ing he poin s o in lec ion, see in Fig. 3. The esul s o he e alua ion a e shown
in Fig. 4. I is shown ha he IST is de e mined as he x coo dina e o he poin ha esul s
om he in e sec ion o he angen line o he cu e o US pulse eloci y h ough he
ans e ed minimum empe a u e poin and he line connec ing ans e ed in lec ion poin s
1 and 2. The FST is hen de e mined as he in e sec ion o he angen line h ough he
ans e ed minimum empe a u e poin and he angen line h ough he ans e ed in lec ion
poin 2. The i ing o he measu ed da a wi h he cubic spline simpli ies he de e mina ion o
hese angen s. The abo e-desc ibed p ocess o e alua ion can be ully au oma ed wi h
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app op ia e so wa e p ocessing. In he nex sec ions o he pape , he e is shown he
e alua ion o he pe o med expe imen aimed a he compa ison o he se ing imes ob ained
om he measu emen s using he Vikasonic appa a us and he s anda dized es using he
Vica appa a us pe o med acco ding o he EN 196-3 [3].
Fig. 2. Vikasonic measu emen – CEM I 42.5 R.
Fig. 3. Impo an poin s on he empe a u e cu e and hei ans e – CEM I 42.5 R.
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Fig. 4. E alua ion o ini ial se ing ime (IST) and inal se ing ime (FST) – CEM I 42.5 R.
The ad an ages and disad an ages o he s anda dized and well-known es me hod
in ended o he de e mina ion o se ing imes o he cemen pas e o no mal consis ency
acco ding o he EN 196-3 [3] ha e al eady been discussed in he in oduc ion. A wide
discussion abou his me hod can be ound eg in he a icle [7]. The o igins o his me hod
can be ound in he 19 h cen u y when he cemen was o he i s ime used as a building
ma e ial. The s aigh o wa dness and simplici y o his me hod canno be denied. Howe e ,
i seems ha he measu emen p ocedu e is no adequa e o mee he demands posed o he
ma e ials es ing in he 21s cen u y, especially wi h ega d o he high a iabili y o i s esul s.
This a iabili y may be ela ed o he in asi e na u e o his me hod. The esul ing alue o
IST and FST can be in luenced by local inhomogenei ies in he specimens. Fo his and o he
easons, i seems app op ia e o look o o he me hods ha a e able o gi e mo e de ails
abou he changes in he in e nal s uc u e o ma e ials du ing he solidi ica ion p ocess.
Based on he pe o med expe imen i can be s a ed ha he ul asonic pulse me hod can be
used as a supplemen o a subs i u e o he EN 196-3 me hod [3].
2.2 Expe imen
The expe imen shows he compa ison o he IST and FST alues ob ained om he
measu emen using wo di e en es ing me hods – ul asonic and Vica es . Two ypes o
cemen we e es ed – CEM I 42.5 R and CEM I 52.5 R. The cemen was p oduced a he
Mok á cemen plan (Czech Republic). The ou pu s o measu emen pe o med o CEM I
42.5 R cemen using he Vikasonic appa a us is shown in Fig. 1 – 4. In Fig. 5 he e is shown
a eco d and e alua ion o a Vica appa a us es o CEM I 42.5 R cemen . Because he
s anda d [3] de ines IST as he ime when he dis ance o he pene a ion needle om he
bo om o Vica ing is in he ange o 6±3 mm, he IST is in Fig. 5 shown as a ime in e al.
The eal measu ed da a we e i ed wi h a cubic spline o he pu pose o measu emen
e alua ion. The alues o he se ing imes we e de e mined om he i ed cu e, no di ec ly
om he eal measu ed da a. The same p ocedu e o he da a ob ained om Vica es was
used o he e alua ion o measu emen pe o med o CEM I 52.5 R cemen .
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Fig. 5. Vica me hod - CEM I 42.5 R.
2.3 Resul s and discussion
Tab. 1 shows a compa ison o he ob ained es esul s oge he wi h he da a gi en in he
echnical shee o a pa icula ype o cemen . In he case o CEM I 42.5 R cemen , he alue
o IST ob ained using he Vikasonic appa a us co esponds e y well o he IST gi en in he
echnical shee o cemen . On he o he hand, he es ing me hod using he Vica appa a us
shows signi ican di e ences. I should be no ed ha he da a gi en in he echnical shee o
cemen consis s o an e alua ion o a la ge se o measu emen s, while in he case o he
p esen ed expe imen only one measu emen was pe o med ha could be in luenced by a
sys ema ic e o . In he case o CEM I 52.5 R, he di e ences be ween he ob ained da a a e
wi hin easonably assigned measu emen unce ain y.
Table 1. Compa ison o es esul s and da a in he echnical da a shee o cemen p oduce .
Cemen
Cha ac e is ics
Technical
da a shee
[min.]
Vica me hod
[min.]
Vikasonic
me hod
[min.]
CEM I 42.5 R
Ini ial se ing ime (IST)
183
228 - 236
187
Final se ing ime (FST)
242
374
272
CEM I 52.5 R
Ini ial se ing ime (IST)
143
124 - 144
157
Final se ing ime (FST)
196
222
230
The manu ac u e o Vikasonic appa a us s a es ha he co ela ion be ween bo h he ein
men ioned me hods is di e en o di e en ma e ials, i.e. ypes o cemen [8]. I means ha
o each cemen i is possible o make a ela ionship be ween he esul s o US es s and he
pene a ion dis ance de e mined acco ding o [3]. Based on his ela ionship he se ing imes
can be de e mined. Howe e , sea ching o such ela ionships can be in luenced by se e al
ac o s. One o hem is he di e en sensi i i y o bo h me hods. While he US me hod is able
o e lec he changes in ma e ial s uc u e almos immedia ely a e mixing he cemen wi h
wa e , he pene a ion me hod [3] s a s o show signi ican changes a ound he ime o he
ini ial se ing ime. In addi ion, using he Vikasonic appa a us, he de elopmen o ma e ial
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ma u a ion e en a e he inal se ing ime can be moni o ed, which is almos impossible by
he pene a ion me hod acco ding o [3]. As he expe imen al da a shows, he sea ching o
he ela ionship be ween hese me hods may no lead o a sa is ac o y goal, i.e. o ind he
se ing imes o he cemen pas e. In Fig. 4 i is shown ha he cu e o he US pulse eloci y
be ween IST and FST poin s is almos linea . The e o e, i is ob ious ha by combining he
ou pu s o bo h me hods he cu e wi h a simila shape as shown in Fig. 5 can be ob ained.
Based on au ho s' expe ience wi h he measu emen using Vikasonic appa a us, i seems o
be necessa y o use simul aneous measu emen o he empe a u e inside he ma e ial o he
pu pose o e alua ion o se ing imes which enables o e alua e he se ing imes di ec ly
om he US measu emen , as desc ibed in his a icle, wi hou need o inding he
ela ionship be ween he pene a ion me hod. The e o e, inding a ela ionship o de e mine
se ing imes is no necessa y. The p inciple o u ilizing he de elopmen o he in e nal
empe a u e o he ma e ial du ing ageing o de e mine se ing imes is also applied in he
ASTM ecommenda ions [9].
3 Conclusion
The aim o his pape was o show he possibili ies o using he ul asonic pulse me hod o
de e mine he ini ial and inal se ing ime o cemen pas e. The main ad an age o ul asonic
measu emen is ha i is he non-in asi e me hod. This should esul in educed a iabili y
o es esul s. Based on he expe imen , he ul asonic pulse me hod appea s o be use ul o
in es iga ing he ini ial s ages o se ing and ha dening p ocess o he cemen pas e.
The dimensions o he measu emen chambe enable o use o he Vikasonic appa a us o
es ing o he common ypes o cemen composi es such as mo a s and conc e e wi h a
maximum agg ega e g ain size o 8 mm using he same es con igu a ion.
This pape has been w i en as a pa o p ojec No. GA17-14302S, suppo ed by he GAČR - Czech
Science Founda ion.
Re e ences
1. A. M. Ne ille, P ope ies o conc e e (5 h ed. New Yo k: Pea son, 2011).
2. C. H. Lee, K. C. Ho e , A. Lee. Jou nal o Tes ing and E alua ion. 2015, 43(4).
3. EN 196-3. Me hods o es ing cemen - Pa 3: De e mina ion o se ing ime and
soundness (2017).
4. ČSN 73 1332. De e mina ion o conc e e se ing (P aha, CEN, 1986).
5. ASTM C403 / C403M - 16: S anda d Tes Me hod o Conc e e Mix u es by Pene a ion
Resis ance (ASTM In e na ional, Wes Conshohocken, PA, 2016).
6. ASTM C191-13. S anda d Tes Me hods o Time-Based Hyd aulic Cemen by Vica
Needle (ASTM In e na ional, Wes Conshohocken, PA, 2013).
7. H. Sleiman, A. Pe o , S. Amziane. Cemen and Conc e e Resea ch. 2010, 40(5), p. 681-
686.
8. Vikasonic - Measu ing he Ea ly Se ing and Ha dening wi h Ul asonic Wa es
[online]. Sep embe 16, 2019. A ailable om:
h p://www.schleibinge .com/cmsimple/en/?Se ing_and_Ma u i y:Ul asonic_Se ing_
Measu emen .
9. ASTM C1679-14. S anda d P ac ice o Measu ing Hyd a ion Kine ics o Hyd aulic
Cemen i ious Mix u es Using Iso he mal Calo ime y (ASTM In e na ional, Wes
Conshohocken, PA, 2014).
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