ALTERNATIVE TEST FOR THE DETERMINATION OF THE SETTING TIME. CAPACITIVE AND RESISTIVE METHOD

Abstract

The hardening of the conglomerates’ materials is characterized by the change in the state of the paste, from a fluid state -after mixing- to its solid-state. At present, the well-known Vicat Needle Method is used to determine the hardening times, following the UNE-EN 13279-2 and UNE-EN 196-3 standards, depending on whether they are gypsum, plaster or cement. In this work, two alternative low-cost methods and easily applicable are proposed, based on capacitive and resistive sensors, which can help to improve the production process of prefabricated construction. The results show how it is possible to relate the setting times conventionally measured with the variations in the response of the sensors implemented. On the other hand, the behavior of the material can be monitored in real-time without having to rely on a manual test. This work, therefore, validates two alternative methods for the testing of conglomerates’ materials.