HETT22 – A COMSOL® App to Accurately Simulate, Plan and Monitor Concrete Castings

Daniel Ericsson1, Mikael Westerholm2, Tom Fredvik3, Mats Emborg4, Jonas Carlswärd4
1Deflexional AB, Sweden
2Heidelberg Materials Cement Sverige AB, Sverige
3Heidelberg Materials Sement Norge AS, Norway
4Heidelberg Materials Betong Sverige AB, Sweden
Published in 2023

HETT22 is a software developed through joint efforts by Deflexional and Heidelberg Materials. It enables construction companies to accurately simulate, plan and monitor heat and strength development in concrete after castings. Leveraging the power of the COMSOL Multiphysics® software, HETT22 offers construction companies an easy-to-use toolset for precise analysis and control of concrete behavior. Based entirely on COMSOL Multiphysics®, a widely recognized and robust computational platform, HETT22 utilizes the Application Builder and method code written in the Java® programming language to offer an intuitive interface with comprehensive functionality. The application is transformed into a stand-alone compiled version using COMSOL Compiler™.

Noteworthy features of this application include an installer for easy deployment, a built-in check-for-updates mechanism, and a robust passcode system that grants users access to specific functionalities. Additionally, HETT22 provides a comprehensive material library and user-defined library, supports multiple languages, and offers users the choice between light and dark themes for personalized visual preferences. To ensure data security, the app employs encrypted concrete libraries, enabling the integration of materials from various vendors while safeguarding their proprietary information.

The application encompasses a diverse range of pre-defined construction cases, encompassing walls, floors, slabs, and columns, offering users a selection of 14 different scenarios. Except for one case, all simulations are conducted in 2D and leverage various meshing techniques based on user inputs. The software enables manual input of external temperature and wind conditions, either as constant values or interpolation tables. Moreover, HETT22 features an automated boundary condition setup that accesses weather forecasts from smhi.se and yr.no through JSON document retrieval.

For enhanced accuracy and validation, HETT22 allows users to import sensor data measurements from the construction site, facilitating a direct comparison between the simulated results and real-world observations. Since its initial release in November 2022, HETT22 has gained significant traction within the construction industry, particularly in Sweden and Norway. An updated version was launched in May 2023, incorporating new functionalities based on valuable customer feedback.