Title:
Using Resonant Acoustic Mixing to Improve UHPC Workability
Author(s):
Aileen Vandenberg and Kay Willie
Publication:
Web Session
Volume:
Issue:
Appears on pages(s):
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DOI:
Date:
3/28/2021
Abstract:
Meeting adequate workability demands is a challenge when producing ultra-high performance cementitious (UHPC) materials as it tends to stiffen up quickly after the mixing process. Current mixing technologies for the concrete industry have not changed much in the last century relying heavily on planetary type mixers with shearing tools that provide either low or high mixing energies to the system. Tool agitation mixing is known to distribute an uneven energy profile throughout the mix, influencing the eventual workability of the material. Mixing technologies used in other fields, such as reciprocating movement agitator mixing or bubble acoustic streaming mixing, are found to provide more uniform energy profiles. Hence, a possible way to improve the workability of UHPC is to change the mixing method such that a high energy profile distributes evenly throughout the system. In this presentation, we present a novel type of UHPC mixing technology called Resonant Acoustic® Mixing (RAM) Technology. RAM combines the principles of reciprocating movement agitation and acoustic streaming micro-mixing by applying a high frequency acoustic pressure wave to induce uniform mixing. We present our initial findings and discuss how they relate to the workability of UHPC.