EP-4741816-A1 - REMOTE SUFACE ACOUSTIC WAVE SENSING OF CURABLE CHEMICAL MORTAR SYSTEMS FOR CHEMICAL FASTENING

EP4741816A1EP 4741816 A1EP4741816 A1EP 4741816A1EP-4741816-A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a surface acoustic wave sensing system comprising a surface acoustic wave sensor configured to be provided relative to a curable chemical mortar system and to output, to a measurement device or system, data corresponding to characteristics of the curable chemical mortar system identifying whether the curable chemical mortar system is curing correctly, data for in service control after curing and/or data corresponding to characteristics of the chemical mortar system associated with use of the chemical mortar system when installed.

Inventors

PFEIL, ARMIN

Assignees

Hilti Aktiengesellschaft

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20241108

Claims (16)

A surface acoustic wave sensing system comprising a surface acoustic wave sensor configured to be provided relative to a curable chemical mortar system and to output, to a measurement device or system, data corresponding to characteristics of the curable chemical mortar system identifying whether the curable chemical mortar system is curing correctly, data for in service control after curing and/or data corresponding to characteristics of the chemical mortar system associated with use of the chemical mortar system when installed.
Surface acoustic wave sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the surface acoustic wave sensor is configured to receive an input signal from a measurement device or system to generate the output signal to a measurement device or system.
Surface acoustic wave sensing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the surface acoustic wave sensor is a passive remote surface acoustic wave sensor.
Surface acoustic wave sensing system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface acoustic wave sensor is configured to output from the curable chemical mortar system to a measurement device or system only the data corresponding to characteristics of the curable chemical mortar system to identify whether the curable chemical mortar system is curing or installed correctly or is no longer curing or installed correctly.
Surface acoustic wave sensing system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface acoustic wave sensor is configured to output from the curable chemical mortar system to a measurement device or system only the data corresponding to characteristics of the curable chemical mortar system associated with use of the cured chemical mortar system when installed.
Surface acoustic wave sensing system to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the data corresponding to characteristics of the curable chemical mortar system associated with use of the curable chemical mortar system when installed include data corresponding to one or more of a temperature associated with the curable chemical mortar system, stress and strains placed in or on the curable chemical mortar system, a compressive force applied to the curable chemical mortar system, pressure, movement, resistance and a unique identifier that identifies the curable chemical mortar system.
Surface acoustic wave sensing system according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a measurement device or system.
Surface acoustic wave sensing system according to 7, wherein the measurement device or system is a handheld device.
Surface acoustic wave sensing system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the curable chemical mortar system is an organic or inorganic curable chemical mortar injection system.
Surface acoustic wave sensing system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the curable chemical mortar system is an organic or inorganic curable chemical mortar injection system used for chemical fastening of anchoring means in mineral substrates.
Surface acoustic wave sensing system according to any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein the input signal is a radio wave signal with an operating frequency of 2.4 GHz.
Surface acoustic wave sensing system according to any one of claims 2 to 11, wherein the output signal is a radio frequency signal corresponding to the condition characteristics of the chemical mortar system.
Method for remote surface acoustic wave sensing of curable chemical mortar system comprising: generating an input signal with a measurement device or system; applying the input signal to a surface acoustic wave sensor thereby passing a sensing region of the sensor; generating an output signal, and receiving the output signal with a measurement device or system.
The method according to claim 13, further comprising evaluating the output signal.
The method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the measurement device or system is a handheld device.
Use of a remote passive surface acoustic wave sensor in a method for remote sensing of curable chemical injection mortar systems for chemical fastening of anchoring means in mineral substrates.

Description

Field of the invention The present invention relates to remote surface acoustic wave sensing of characteristics of curable chemical systems, in particular curable chemical mortar injection systems in the field of chemical fastening. Background of the invention Many mortar systems exist which provide a good chemical fastening of anchors and post-installed reinforcing bars in mineral substrates or surfaces. For example, organic systems based on free-radically polymerizable resins are used when fast curing is desired, inorganic systems are used when it comes to desired fire performance and slow curing systems exists when a longer installation time is needed. In particular, curable chemical mortar injection systems are directly employed on the job site, thereby being introduced into borehole and then left to cure with the appropriate anchoring means embedded into the mineral substrate of surface. In order to achieve a safe and fully load bearing system the curing of the chemical mortar injection system is required that always involves monitoring the curing time which is strongly dependent on the installation temperature, material installed and on specific weather conditions surrounding the job site. This monitoring is often time-consuming and inaccurate and may result in not fully cured system which in the end is unsafe to use or in a worst-case scenario cannot bear the fully load. There are known systems for identifying and tracking different objects which involve use of radio frequency identification devices. However, radio frequency identification devices can only be employed in a distance range very close to the embedded RFID chip which is usually in the range of some millimetres. They can further only be used due to their sensitivity in safe environments and need a large number of tags in order to establish a full picture of the monitored system. In parallel it is only possible to read 1 to 3 tags at the time. The RFID chip technology, however, is not suitable for monitoring certain conditions, which are based on a physical property of an object or material. When it comes to chemical fastening of anchoring means monitoring of the curing process and the fully cured system, also under harsh conditions is needed to ensure provision of a safe system on the jobsite, thereby also safing labour time. Therefore, there is a need for a monitoring system for curable chemical systems, in particular curable chemical mortar injection systems, in the field of chemical fastening, which is superior over the prior art systems with regard to health and safety, handling, labor time, sustainability and a good balance between setting and hardening of the mortar as well as maintain the cured system. Moreover, it is of interest to provide a system that can be used for monitoring chemical fastening of anchoring means in mineral substrates without adversely affecting the handling, characteristics and the mechanical performance of the chemical anchoring system as well as to provide a system that is constantly monitored to ensure that a decrease of performance over time is not happening. Finally, there is a need for a system that enables the customer to refrain from referring to curing timetables in order to determine the final installation state of a cured chemical fastening system. It would be beneficial if the chemical mortar injection system can remotely send out information about its curing. In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a monitoring system for curable chemical systems, in particular curable chemical mortar injection systems, in the field of chemical fastening, which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art systems. In particular, it is an object to provide a surface acoustic wave sensing system, which can be handled easily and is eco-friendly, sustainable, can be used under harsh conditions and over a wide distance range and that has a well balanced parallel readability of sensors. Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide method for remote surface acoustic wave sensing of curable chemical mortar systems as well as employing a handheld device in said method. These and other objectives as they will become apparent from the ensuring description of the invention are solved by the present invention as described in the independent claims. The dependent claims pertain to preferred embodiments. Summary of the invention One aspect of the present invention relates to a surface acoustic wave sensing system comprising a surface acoustic wave sensor configured to be provided relative to a curable chemical mortar system and to output, to a measurement device or system, data corresponding to characteristics of the curable chemical mortar system identifying whether the curable chemical mortar system is curing correctly, data for in service control after curing and/or data corresponding to characteristics of the chemical mortar system associated with use of the chemical mortar