FLOW ANALYSIS OF FRESH CONCRETE IN TRUCK AGITATOR BY VISUALIZATION TECHNIQUE

In order to analyze the flow of fresh concrete mixed in a truck agitator, a new technique was discussed in this paper. With help of visualization technique it became possible to obtain the information about movements of coarse aggregates and mortar in fresh concrete model. For visualizing the concrete flow, concrete was replaced by the model concrete made of transparent motar and artificial lightweight coarse aggregates. In addition, the truck agitator was also modelized by the transparent plastic material with a scale of one fifth of prototype. The video system was used for recording and analyzing the movement of aggregate. Introducig the Lacey's method, the mixing of aggregates in a truck agitator was discussed concerning the effects of the volumetric ratio of coarse aggregate to mortar (Vg/Vm), viscostiy of mortar and the volume of concrete.