Robotic Concrete Slump Testing and Cube Making

The slump test is a basic quality control test that determines the workability of fresh concrete. Cube making is a method to determine the compressive strength of hardened concrete. Both are essential to ensure the high quality of concrete used in construction projects. 

The current practices in both are time-consuming and labour-intensive. Further, the manual nature of these tests means they are prone to human error and can be affected by factors, such as the skill and concentration level of the operator. These inconsistencies can result in problems, as it is critical for testing methods and measurements to exactly align with the EN standard. Additionally, it is becoming increasingly challenging and expensive to hire skilled workers to perform these tests.

There have been some studies done to tackle these challenges, including the use of digital measurement and data processing for slump testing, but no integrated solution has been developed so far. With the increasing demand for sustainable and efficient construction practices, Pan-United sees an opportunity to explore automated solutions for slump testing and cube making.

Pan-United is looking for a robot-assisted solution that can perform concrete slump testing and cube making accurately and efficiently.

The solution should: 

• Complete the process within a reasonable time;
• Be portable and thus easy to transport to different sites;
• Require minimal training to use, making it accessible to a wide range of users;
• Require minimal manual intervention;
• Result in cost savings in terms of time and manpower;
• Be able to operate in environments with: some text
  • Shaded temperature of 20-40°C
  • Humidity of 50%-90%
  • Minor levels of dust
  • Minor levels of moisture
• Be energy-efficient; and
• Produce minimal waste and emissions.

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Specific for slump testing:

• Perform concrete slump testing accurately according to EN 12350-2 and EN 12350-8 standards; and
• Auto-measure the slump and slump flow of fresh concrete with minimal error.

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Specific for cube making:

• Perform cube making accurately according to the EN 12390‐2 standard; and
• Automatically shape and compact concrete cubes with minimal error.

Pan-United will provide the successful solution provider with the following:

1. Guidance on the current standard practices for concrete production;

2. Materials, manpower, equipment and location for testing; and

3. Feedback on the technical aspects of the solution, and help in identifying potential challenges and opportunities.

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The POC will be conducted at the Pan-United Concrete Innovation Centre in Singapore. The solution provider will be supported by in-house research scientists and engineers at the centre. 

Following a successful POC, Pan-United will provide a pilot site at one of their batching plants in Singapore, where the solution provider will be able to test the solution on more concrete types.

This is an industry-wide challenge. As a start, Pan-United can offer the opportunity to scale a successful solution across their 19 concrete plants and numerous project sites in Singapore. 

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