Computer-implemented method, computer-based product, and monitoring system for contactless assessment of rheological properties of fluid cement-based products

1 . Computer-implemented method for contactless assessment of rheological properties of cement-based fluid products, the method comprising:

obtaining first data related to a displacement speed of a set of helicoidal mixing blades attached to an interior surface of a mixer drum configured to rotate about an inclined axis and mounted on a truck during at least one period of time;

obtaining at least one image sequence of a fluid product contained within the mixer drum during the at least one period of time;

determining a plurality of first parameters, in a first analysis, related to variations of the displacement speed of the set of mixing blades over time by implementing, in a computer processing unit, a first algorithm;

determining a plurality of second parameters, in a second analysis, related to variations of a local displacement direction and speed of a surface of a fluid product contained in the mixer drum over time by implementing, in a computer processing unit, a second algorithm that:

analyzes the at least one image sequence identifying particles, and/or groups of particles, of the surface of the fluid product and a displacement direction and speed thereof during the at least one period of time, indicative of a local displacement direction and speed of the surface of the fluid product;

detects variation in the local displacement direction and speed of the surface of the fluid product obtained from the analysis of the at least one image sequence;

calculating, in a third analysis, at least one rheological property parameter of the fluid product by implementing, in a computer processing unit, a third algorithm that:

detecting and measuring a temporal correlation existing between each first parameter, representing a variation in the displacement speed of the set of mixing blades, and one of the second parameters, representing a variation of the local displacement direction and speed of the surface of the fluid product contained in the mixer drum, occurring following the corresponding first parameter; and

calculates, based on the detected temporal correlations, at least one of the rheological property parameters of the fluid product.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the third algorithm utilizes, to calculate the at least one rheological properties parameter of the fluid product, data matrixes that store and correlate the following data recorded from previous assessments of rheological properties of cement-based fluid products:

variations in the displacement speed of the mixing blades;

variations in the displacement direction and speed of the particles, and/or groups of particles of the fluid product;

at least one rheological properties parameter of each fluid product.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the data matrixes further store and correlate information about the composition and quantity of the fluid product used as a cement-based fluid product on each recorded previous assessment.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detected temporal correlations are measured between:

a starting moment of each variation of the displacement speed of the set of mixing blades, represented by the first parameter, and a starting moment of a variation of the local displacement direction and speed of the surface of the fluid product, represented by the second parameter, occurring following the starting moment of the variation of the displacement speed of the set of mixing blades; and/or

one final moment of each variation of the displacement speed of the set of mixing blades, represented by the first parameter, and a final moment of a variation of the local displacement direction and speed of the surface of the fluid product, represented by the second parameter, occurring following the final moment of the variation of the displacement of the set of mixing blades.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second algorithm comprises a visual recognition algorithm.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first algorithm is a visual recognition algorithm configured to:

analyze the aforementioned at least one sequence of images of the fluid product;

identify edges, ridges, joints, lines, marks, and or stains on the mixing blades, and/or of the mixing drum when the mixing drum is a rotating drum, in the different images of the aforementioned at least one image sequence;

track displacement direction and speed of the edges, ridges, joints, lines, marks, and or stains during at least a period of time.

7 . The method according to claim 1 where the first algorithm analyzes data provided by a device detecting the rotation of the mixer drum.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the acquisition of the first data comprises the acquisition of rotational speed of the mixing blades and also vertical and horizontal acceleration data of the mixer drum where the mixing blades are housed.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one period of time, during which the first and second analysis are performed, is a period of time during which no relevant horizontal nor vertical accelerations of the mixer drum are detected.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises performing a fourth analysis, in a computer processing unit that implements a fourth algorithm, that comprises detecting when the rheological properties parameter is out of predefined bounds, and generate, in response to said detection, an alert signal.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the method comprises, in response to the alert signal, performing a fifth analysis, in a computer processing unit that implements a fifth algorithm that comprises:

obtaining one information regarding the composition and quantity of the fluid product;

calculate a series of modified rheological properties parameters of the fluid product, considering at least the information related to composition and quantity of the fluid product, the rheological properties parameter calculated by the third analysis, and a corrective admixture with a determined composition and quantity added to the fluid product, calculating the composition and quantity of said corrective admixture so that the modified rheological properties parameter of the fluid product fits within the predefined acceptable bounds.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the fifth algorithm takes into consideration, to perform said determination of the composition and quantity of the corrective admixture, data matrixes that store and correlate the following data of previous examples:

composition and quantity of the different fluid products;

at least one rheological properties parameter of each of the initial compositions;

a composition and quantity of a corrective admixture added to each of said different fluid products;

at least one rheological properties parameter of each of said different fluid products after the addition of the corrective admixture.

13 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises detecting, through the first analysis, a stoppage of the mixing blades of the mixer drum, and performing an analysis, in a computer processing unit that implements an algorithm, comprising:

detecting variations in the optical and/or smoothness properties of the surface of the fluid product, within the image sequence, during a period of time following the detected stoppage; and

using the variations in the optical and/or smoothness properties of the surface of the fluid product in the calculation of the rheological properties of the fluid product.

14 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises detecting a water addition and/or an admixture addition to the fluid product by performing an analysis, in a computer processing unit that implements an algorithm, comprising:

analyze the rheological properties of the fluid product detected in the third analysis detecting variations thereof over time;

detect unexpected variations of the rheological properties of the fluid product over time by comparing the detected variations with expected variations of the rheological properties of the fluid product over time due to its expected curing process, considering stored information about composition of the fluid product;

detect an amount of added water and/or added admixtures added to the fluid mixture responsible of the unexpected variations of the rheological properties of the fluid product over time by calculate the amount of added water and/or added admixtures required to, when mixed with the fluid product with known composition, modify the expected variations of the rheological properties of the fluid product over time to match with the detected variations of the rheological properties of the fluid product over time.

15 . System for the contactless assessment of rheological properties of cement-based fluid products, comprising:

a mixer drum configured to rotate about an inclined axis and mounted on a truck with an opening and including a set of helicoidal mixing blades attached to an interior of the mixer drum, and a device associated with the mixing blades and configured to obtain first data related to a displacement speed of a set of mixing blades contained in the mixer drum during at least one period of time;

at least one image acquisition device focused towards the interior of the mixer drum and configured to obtain at least one image sequence of a fluid product contained within the mixer drum during the at least one period of time; and

at least one computing unit that features at least one processor configured to:

execute a first algorithm configured to perform a first analysis that comprises determining a plurality of first parameters related to variations of the displacement speed of the set of mixing blades over time;

execute a second algorithm configured to perform a second analysis that comprises determining a second parameters related to a variation of a local displacement direction and speed of a surface of a fluid product contained in the mixer drum over time by analyzing the at least one image sequence identifying particles, and/or groups of particles of the surface of the fluid product and a displacement direction and speed thereof during the at least one period of time, indicative of a local displacement direction and speed of the surface of the fluid product, detecting variation in the local displacement direction and speed of the surface of the fluid product obtained from the analysis of the at least one image sequence;

execute a second algorithm configured to perform a second analysis that comprises calculating at least one rheological property parameter of the fluid product by detecting and measuring a temporal correlation between each first parameter, representing a variation of the displacement speed of the set of mixing blades, and one of the second parameters, representing a variation of the local displacement direction and speed of the surface of the fluid product contained in the mixer drum, occurring following the corresponding first parameter; and

calculating, based on the detected temporal correlations, at least one of the rheological property parameters of the fluid product.

16 . The system according to claim 15 , wherein the opening of the mixed drum is concentric to the inclined axis of rotation thereof, and the image acquisition device is located outside of the mixer drum facing the opening.

17 . The system according to claim 16 , wherein the system comprises a user interface, located in the truck's cabin, in communication with the aforementioned at least one computing unit to display at least some of the results of the calculations performed as a part of the method implemented by the at least one computing unit, wherein the computation unit is internal to the truck or is at least partially external to the truck in wireless communications with the rest of the system.

18 . The system according to claim 17 , wherein the system comprises, moreover, additional mixer drums associated to additional image acquisition devices.

19 . The system according to claim 15 , wherein the image acquisition device comprises one or more video cameras, and/or one or more infrared video cameras, and/or at one or more laser detection and location sensors (LIDAR).

20 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing code instructions that, when executed by a computation device, cause the computer device to perform a method comprising:

determining a plurality of first parameters, in a first analysis, related to variations of the displacement speed along time of the set of helicoidal mixing blades attached to the interior of a mixer drum rotative around an inclined axis and mounted on a truck, by implementing, in a computer processing unit, a first algorithm;

determining a plurality of second parameters, in a second analysis, related to variations of a local displacement direction and speed along time of a surface of a fluid product contained in the mixer drum by implementing, in a computer processing unit, a second algorithm that:

analyzes the at least one image sequence identifying particles, and/or groups of particles of the surface of the fluid product and a displacement direction and speed thereof during the at least one period of time, indicative of a local displacement direction and speed of the surface of the fluid product;

detects variation in the local displacement direction and speed of the surface of the fluid product obtained from the analysis of the at least one image sequence;

calculating, in a third analysis, at least one rheological property parameter of the fluid product by implementing, in a computer processing unit, a third algorithm that:

detects and measures a temporal correlation existing between each first parameter, representing a variation of the displacement speed of the set of mixing blades, and one of the second parameters, representing a variation of the local displacement direction and speed of the surface of the fluid product, occurring following the corresponding first parameter; and

calculates, based on the detected temporal correlations, at least one of the rheological property parameters of the fluid product.