REPORT BE96-3843/2001: 97-4

IPACS database: users' manual

Marco Lazzari 1

ENEL.HYDRO b.u. ISMES, Seriate, Italy

Published by
Department of Civil & Mining Engineering
Division of Structural Engineering

ISBN 91 89580 97 - 4

2001: 97-4

SE

IPACS database: users' manual

CS
IPA

Report No:
2001: 97-4

Improved Production of
Advanced Concrete Structures

Author 1
Address

Marco Lazzari

lazzari.marco@enel.it

Author 2
Address2
Author 3
Address3
Author 4
Address4
Task/Subtask no :

TASK 6
Brite EuRam Contract No. BRPR-CT97-0437

Project no :

Brite EuRam Proposal No. BE96-3843

Project title:

IPACS - IMPROVED PRODUCTION OF ADVANCED

CONCRETE STRUCTURES

Project coordinator:

Betongindustri AB, Dr Mats Emborg

Partners:

Betongindustri AB
Cementa AB
Selmer ASA
Technical University of Delft
ENEL
Technical University of Lule
NCC AB
Skanska Teknik AB
Technical University of Braunschweig
Ismes
Norwegian Public Roads Directorate
Elkem AS
Norcem AS
Technical University of Trondheim

Date of issue of this report:

31 May 2001

Revised date:

31 May 2001
Project funded by the European Community under the Industrial & Materials Technologies
Programme (Brite-EuRam III)

IMPROVED PRODUCTION OF ADVANCED CONCRETE STRUCTURES - IPACS

Background
Research and practical experience show that the quality and lifetime of concrete structures largely
depend on the curing conditions in the concrete's early life, as inadequate curing leads to malfunction
and cracking. A major source of deleterious cracking already in the construction stage is the
occurrence of stresses in the hardening concrete due to restrained volume change related to hydration
temperatures and shrinkage phenomena. It is thus of utmost importance, especially regarding new high
performance concrete, that the proper execution conditions are maintained throughout the construction
period by avoiding the premature cracking.
Objective of project
Main goal of IPACS is to evaluate, integrate and extend the existing knowledge about early age
concrete crack prediction in engineering practice yielding the following benefits:
Contractors and designers will have new and more reliable engineering instruments enabling them to
predict and to optimise the technical effect and cost of alternative designs and execution procedures all in the process of fulfilling the quality requirements set up by the owners or the community (codes).
Reduced costs because of the present tendency to specify costly but unnecessarily rigorous crack
criteria will be avoided.
Owners will have access to improved means of specifying and controlling desired quality
requirements regarding serviceability and service life of their structures.
Reduced maintenance costs and increase of service lifetime.
Main tasks and investigations in IPACS and output from the project:
Hydration and volume changes To acquire data for the modelling of properties of a
number of currently used concrete types.
Mechanical properties - Testing and modelling of mechanical properties.
Behaviour of structures - Computer modelling of structural behaviour.
Field tests - To check and improve the models of the previous tasks in full-scale tests.
Expert System.

The Expert System synthesises the results from the project into a robust engineering tool for planning
and control of the production of concrete structures. It contains modules of varying simplicity, which
can be used in all the phases of a construction project from pre-design to maintenance
Project Partners:
See earlier page
Project Co -ordinator:
Dr Mats Emborg Betongindustri AB (Heidelberger Zement North Europe) (SE)
Dr Hans-Erik Gram/Mr Mats berg Cementa AB (Heidelberger Zement North Europe) (SE)
Disclaimer
The author/authors and producer of this report have used their best effort in preparing this report. These efforts
include the development, research and testing of the theories and programs to determine their effectiveness. The
author/authors and producer make no warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, with regard to these programs
or documentation contained in this report. The author/authors and publisher shall not be liable in any event for
incidental or consequential damage in connection with, or arising out of, the furnishing, performance, or use of
these programs.
Editorial/production supervision:
Cover design:
Prepress material:
Printed and published by

Prof. Lennart Elfgren

Hans Hedlund
By report authors
Lule University of Technology,
Department of Civil and Mining Engineering,
Division of Structural Engineering
SE-971 87 Lule, Sweden

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1

HOW TO USE THE MATERIAL DATABASE........................................................................................................5

1.1
Connecting to the server of the material database..............................................................................................5
1.2
Accessing the material database............................................................................................................................5
1.3
What about the first page? ......................................................................................................................................5
1.4
Loading new data .....................................................................................................................................................5
1.5
Loading a new mix...................................................................................................................................................6
1.6
Loading a new test data set.....................................................................................................................................6
1.7
Searching the database.............................................................................................................................................6
1.8
Modifying records....................................................................................................................................................6
1.9
Deleting records........................................................................................................................................................7
1.10 Naming rules .............................................................................................................................................................7
1.10.1
Instructions for obtaining conform MIX ID ...............................................................................................7
1.10.2
Identifiers for the archives .............................................................................................................................8

1 HOW TO USE THE MATERIAL DATABASE

1.1

Connecting to the server of the material database

Run your web browser (Internet Explorer, Netscape, ) and connect to the database either by
accessing the URL http://www.hydro.enel.it/ipacs/database.htm or by clicking one of the
several links to it which you can find within the web pages of the IPACS Expert System.
1.2

Accessing the material database

Username and password are required for accessing the database.

Different types of users do exist: the partners can both read and write records; guests have
read permission but cannot write; superusers can also manage data about users (create a new
user, remove a user, ).
1.3

What about the first page?

On the left you can select one of the 14 different archives (MIX, Cement, Water, Test data,
Processed Data, ).
On the right you can select the operation you want to apply to the archive you have selected:

1.4

BROWSE: you can look at the whole set of data; each page will show you the
information related to a specific record of the archive, one record at a time

SEARCH: you can retrieve the records which satisfy some search criteria

LOAD: you can add a new record, that is you can insert into the archive the data
which define an element not yet stored within the database

MODIFY: you can modify the data of a record already stored within the archive

DELETE: you can remove a record from the database.

Loading new data

You can load data into each archive by selecting the archive and pressing the LOAD button.
Then you have to fill a form, where you can specify the values of some database fields. Some
of them require that you input a text or number; for other fields you can simply select a value
from a pull-down menu (dictionary); eventually, those fields which will link a file (Word,
Excel, ) will allow you to specify the file name via a Browse button (note that the label on
this button depends on the language of your operating system).
Each record has a unique identifier, that is supposed to be a meaningful name for the record.
The system can check its uniqueness, but the meaningfulness is up to you.
The terminology of the materialdatabase generally follows ACI 116R-90 (Cement and
Concrete Terminology). This document is found in ACI Manual of Concrete Practice, Part 1
(Materials and General Properties of Concrete), 2000.
Identifier and file names provided by the users should be built according to the naming rules
described in a following paragraph of this document.

1.5

Loading a new mix

When you load a new mix, you can also connect the record of this mix to records of other
archives; these records describe the properties of the mix components. For instance, in such
way you can link the mix to the record that describes the analyses performed on the cement
used for the current mix. The names (identifiers) of the available cements will be presented to
you via a pull-down menu.
1.6

Loading a new test data set

When you load a new test data set, you have to provide a file formatted as specified at the
bottom of the loading page.
You have also to tell the system which mix you want to link to the current test data (therefore,
you have to define a mix before loading its test data)
If you are loading a file that describes mechanical properties (E- modulus, Tensile strength,
Splitting strength, Compressive strength), you can also link this set of data to a temperature
history via the Temp. History field of the loading (or modifying) form.
If you are loading a file that describes a creep, you can also link this set of data to a creep
temperature history via the Temp. History field of the loading (or modifying) form.
When you look at a test data record, the system will plot on the screen a diagram built with
the first two columns of the data file (even if the file has more than two columns). If you click
on the plot, you will get on the screen the original file, that you can save on your disk for
subsequent processing (Menu File, Save as).
1.7

Searching the database

If you want to look for some record already recorded within one of the archives, select the
archive from the first page and then run SEARCH. The system will show you a form, which
you can use to specify your search criteria: you can both provide a value and a relational
operator (give me all the cements which have a CaO content greater than 3%). If you fill
more than one field, they will be logically ANDed (that is, give me all the cements which
satisfy the first criterion AND AT THE SAME TIME the second one).
If you press the button Find list, the result of the search operation is a table that has a row for
each record that satisfies the search criteria and a column for each field; in fact, some archives
have too many fields to be reasonably represented in such way, and therefore the system
represents only a subset of them, together with a pointer to a page that can show the whole set
of data of the record.
If you press the button Find one at a time, the system will show you the whole set of the
fields of a record; then you can look at the following record found by the search (if any) by
pressing the button Next (and then use Previous if you want to get back to the previous one).
If you press the button Export to CSV (Excel) file, the result of the search operation will be
written to a CSV file as a table that has a row for each record that satisfies the search criteria
and a column for each field. Such a file can be easily imported in Excel for subsequent
processing.
1.8

Modifying records

If you want to modify some record already stored in one of the archives, select the archive
from the first page and then run MODIFY. Then you will be asked to specify some search
criteria, for identifying the records you want to modify.
6

As a result, the system will show you the records which satisfy your criteria, a page at a time.
You can modify the fields of a record and then press the button Modify: the system will
change the contents of the fields you have modified and then will show you the following
record found by the search (if any). If you do not mean to modify one of the records found by
the search, press the button Go to next without changing.
1.9

Deleting records

If you want to delete some record already stored in one of the archives, select the archive
from the first page and then run DELETE. Then you will be asked to specify some search
criteria, for identifying the records you want to delete.
As a result, the system will show you the records which satisfy your criteria, a page at a time.
You can delete a record by pressing the button Delete: the system will remove the record from
the archive and then will show you the following record found by the search (if any). If you
do not mean to delete one of the records found by the search, press the button Go to next
without deleting.
1.10 Naming rules
It is desirable to implement data of the various batches of a mix (if more than one batch of a
concrete mix is made). However, this may not always be necessary: whether the data is from a
single batch or whether it is the average data of several batches should be stated in the MIX
ID. If only a single batch of a mix is made use the notation '00'. However, if several batches is
made a distiction should be made according to its batch number ('01', '02', '03', ...), or if the
data is based on average values('AVG').
It will be useful to have some key information of the mix in the IDENTIFIER. Key
information will be: strength class or 28-day strength (integer), the water/binder ratio (W/B),
type and percentage of supplementary binding materials (SMBs) (if present). Whether
strength class or 28-day strength is applied should be stated in the TEXT BOX of the mix.
The W/B ratio should be denoted with two decimal places. The decimal point shall be omitted
(e.g. if the W/B ratio of a concrete is 0.40 it should appear as 040 in the IDENTIFIER.
Concerning percentage and type of SBMs please denote the percentage as an integer starting
with a zero if the percentage is less than 10% (e.g. denote 5% as '05' and 20% as '20'); use
'SF', 'FA' or 'GGBS' as abbreviations for silica fume, fly ash and ground granulated
blastfurnace slag, respectively. Calculate the percentage of SBMs in relation to the mass of
BINDER (i.e. cement plus supplementary binding materials).
1.10.1 Instructions for obtaining conform MIX ID
Start the MIX IDENTITY (MIX ID) with your affilation, abbreviated to maximum 6
characters, followed by the sign '_'.
Continue with your internal mix number/name, followed by the sign '_'.
Continue with batch number, followed by '_'.
Continue then with strength class or 28-day strength, W/B ratio, and finally, percentage and
type of SBMs.
Separate each category with the sign'_'.
Use CAPITAL letters:
AFFILATION_MIX NO_BATCH NO_STRENGTH CLASS_W/B_SBMs
7

Example 1: Norcem will implement their mix no DB83. Only one batch has been made. The
28-day strength is 64.6 MPa, the W/B ratio is 0.40 and the mix contains 10% SF. The MIX ID
will then be:
NORCEM_DB83_00_65_040_10SF
Example 2: Norcem will implement their mix DB105. Two batches have been made. The
part materials of the two concrete batches were from the same batches of part materials (i.e.
the part materials are identical), the fresh properties (air, slump and density) of the batches
were also identical. I have therefor chosen to use average numbers. The strength class is C45.
The W/B ratio is 0.55. A Portland fly ash cement (CEM II/A-V) with up to 20% fly ash was
used. 3% silica fume was added to concrete mix. The MIX ID will then be:
NORCEM_DB105_AVG_45_055_20FA_03SF
1.10.2 Identifiers for the archives
As with the CONCRETE MIX, the various PART MATERIAL ANALYSES are also
identified by their ID (CEMENT ANALYSIS ID, FINE AGGREGATE ANALYSIS ID etc).
It is strongly recommended to apply a similar naming system for the PART MATERIAL
ANALYSIS IDs. It makes it easier to keep track of the various PART MATERIAL
ANALYSES, and the process of linking these to their corresponding CONCRETE MIX.
Concerning for example CEMENT ANALYSIS ID, Norcem will use the following system:
AFFILATION_CEMENT TRADE NAME_INTERNAL NUMBER
Example 3: NORCEM_STD FA_AI0001_....