BJTC3043 A222
CHAPTER 1
CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
(Additional notes)
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Concrete
Cement Fine Aggregate
CONCRETE
Coarse Aggregate Water
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Concrete is a homogenous mixture of Cement, Fine aggregate,
Coarse aggregate and Water.
Cement is a binding material manufactured by grinding
calcareous and argillaceous materials, mixing them intimately in
certain proportions depending upon their purity and composition
and burning them in kiln at temp. about 1300-1500˚c, at which
material sinters and forms clinker. The clinker is cooled and
ground to fine powder with addition of about 3-5% of gypsum. The
product is a Portland Cement
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Concrete Batching Plant
Concrete batching plants basically used to process the materials to
form concrete.
It mixes all the materials like sand, gravels, cement and water to
form a better solution that should be sent to construction site.
Concrete batching plants divided into types according to their
working capacity from 20 to 120 cum/hr and they are famous for
their mobility as a mobile concrete batcher.
Batching can be done by Volume or by Weight.
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Volumetric batching can be done by Gauge boxes [Grid boxes] or
Farmas. Weigh batching is done by weigh batcher, these are the
mixers equipped with weighing balance.
Volumetric batching is not correct method as like as weigh
batching.
Cement is always measured by weight and never be measured by
volume.
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Concrete Pumps
Concrete pumps are one of the fastest construction machines
that get fame in construction market because of their reliability
and cost-effectiveness.
Concrete pumps save labor costs, time and materials with high
power electric suction machine used for pumping the concrete
from mixer and send it direct to construction site.
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A majority of the concrete pumps are of the direct-acting, horizontal piston-type
with semi-rotary valves. The operation of the direct- acting pump is simple.
The concrete is fed into the pump by gravity and partly by suction created due to
the reciprocating motion of the horizontally acting piston, while the semi-rotary
valves open and close alternately.
Suction pressure of the order of 0.08 N/mm2 is developed in the pumping
cylinder under favorable conditions.
The concrete moves in a series of impulses, the delivery pipe always remaining
full. Outputs of up to 60 m3/h can be achieved in modern pumps through 220-mm
diameter delivery pipes.
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Squeeze type pumps are smaller portable peristaltic type pumps. The
concrete from the collecting hopper is fed by rotating blades into a
flexible pipe connected to the pumping chamber, which is under a
vacuum of about 0.08 N/mm2.
The vacuum ensures that, except when being squeezed by the rotating
rollers, the pipe shape remains cylindrical and thus permits a
continuous flow of concrete.
The two rotating rollers mounted on planetary drives progressively
squeeze the flexible pipe and thus push the concrete into the delivery
pipe. Outputs of up to 20 m3/h can be obtained with squeeze pumps
using 75-mm diameter pipelines.
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Mixer
• A device that homogeneously combines cement, aggregate
such as sand or gravel, and water to form concrete
• A typical concrete mixer uses a revolving drum to mix the
components and prepare uniform concrete.
Mixers are of two types
1. Continuous Mixer
These are continuously rotating
mixers without stoppage till the plant
is working.
Generally used in large works like
dam.
2. Batch Mixers
Batch Mixers produces concrete batch
by batch with time interval.
Used in normal concrete works.
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Batch Mixers
The batch mixers are divided
in to two types
1. Pan Mixers
2. Drum Mixers
i. Tilting Mixers
ii. Non Tilting Mixers
iii. Reversing Mixers
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Pan Mixer
Pan Mixers with revolving star
of blades are more efficient.
They are suitable for stiff and
lean mixes, which present
difficulties with most other type
of mixers, mainly due to sticking
of mortar in the drum.
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Batch Mixer
1. Non-Tilting Mixer
Single drum rotating about
a horizontal axis. Fixed
blades work the concrete
towards the discharge end
of the mixer, in order to
provide a rapid rate of
discharge.
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2. Tilting Mixer
They are most suitable for
concrete with large sized
aggregate and, since they
have a rapid discharge rate,
are suitable for low
workability concrete.
Internal blades lift and
tumble the ingredients onto
itself.
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3. Reversing Mixer
Rotate in one direction for
mixing and in the reverse
direction for discharge.
One set of blades exists for each
operation.
Provides efficient mixing with
very little build up within the
mixer.
Are suitable with dry concrete
mixes.
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Transit Mixer
A concrete mixer primarily consists of a revolving drum, a motor, and a
shaft. It is used for uniform mixing of concrete of already mixed
concrete during its transit.
It has a wide range of application specially for mass concreting works
like Construction of Canals, Bridges, Highways, Dams, Multi-storeyed
& Industrial Buildings, Factories, Airports and for Ready Mixed
Concrete Works (R.M.C.), etc.
A Transit Mixer can perform the following 3 functions :-
1. It can mix coarse aggregates , fine aggregates, cement and water
while it is moving or stationary.
2. It can prevent segregation of already mixed concrete during transit
by agitation, as a result of slow revolution of drum.
3. It can completely mix the ‘shrink mixed’ concrete i.e. the concrete
which is partially mixed in central batching plant and mixing plant
while it is moving or stationary.
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PARTS OF TRANSIT MIXER
DRUM AND BLADES
The mixing drum is made of high abrasion resistant
steel and blades of high abrasion resistant alloy
steel to mix any type of ready mix concrete and to
discharge it smoothly.
Features :-
Detachable triangle blades for good mixing
performance.
Option of one or two holes in the drum for easy
cleaning work.
HOPPER
Wide mouth hopper specially designed to receive
sticky ready mix concrete in large quantities with
ease.
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HOPPER STEPS AND HANDRAIL
Layout of hopper steps and handrails are
made user friendly for standing at ease
for cleaning purpose ensuring better
safety .Side steps made from rust proof
steel are attached as a standard
equipment with stripes for anti slip and
fender for easy movement
SCOOP
Scoop is made from Abrasion resistant
steel for durability and weight reduction
Instead of traditional MS thick plates
with liners
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Chute
Easy to use chute made
of high abrasion
resistant steel is
provided with two
options of detachable
chute extents on for
smooth flow of
discharged concrete.
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Working of Mixer
The revolving drum is used to mix all the components of concrete.
Inside the mixer, an operator feeds data into the mixer and several augers feed
aggregate and cement together.
Water is added to the mix and larger augers blend the components and the
number of revolutions should be 70-100 rpm.
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RMC Plant
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Concrete is produced in industrial plants containing storage
facilities and equipment designed for the purpose of blending the
raw materials in desired proportions. That mixture, which
becomes concrete, is then loaded into mixer trucks. (Agitator
Trucks)
The majority of concrete production facilities are located nearby
areas where concrete is used; taking into account its setting time,
concrete prepared at the batch plant, must be delivered to its
destination within an hour and a half.
A concrete factory must be located within a radius of 20 to 30 km
from the work site, depending on traffic conditions.
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A ready-mix concrete plant consists of silos that contain cement, sand, gravel
and storage tanks of additives such as plasticizers, as well as a mixer to blend
the components of concrete.
These components are gravity fed into the preparation bin. The quality of
concrete can be maintained only if the formulation is carefully administered.
The water dosage in particular must be very precise and the mixing itself must
remain continuous and consistent.
To accommodate all of these constraints, the concrete plants have been
automated to ensure reliability throughout the manufacturing process.
Finally, the concrete prepared in a batch plant is loaded into a mixer truck, also
known as a transit mixer, which delivers it to the construction site.
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Modes of Ready Mixed Concrete
1. Plant Mixed Concrete
1. Mixing is done in central batching plant
2. Transported to site in agitator trucks with speed of 2 to 6 Revolutions Per
Minute
2. Transit Mixed Concrete
1. Mixing is done in transit mixers
2. Continuously rotating drum revolves around central axis
3. Shrink Mixed Concrete
1. Water tanks are provided on trucks for preparation of concrete.
2. Concrete is mixed partly in plant and partly during transit
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For longer transportation of concrete Transit mixer gives better results.
Speed of rotating drum is between 4-16 revolutions per minute. Revolutions are
limited to 300 for mixing and agitation.
The safe time of transportation of RMC is lower value of
1. 90 minutes
2. Time taken for 300 revolutions of drum.
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Roller Compacted Concrete
Roller Compacted Concrete pavement is best described as a zero slump
concrete that is placed with standard or high-density paving equipment and
consolidated/compacted using steel-drum or rubber-tired rollers to achieve a
durable, wear resistant surface.
Roller compacted concrete is placed in three layers to permit complete
compaction. THK of layer ranges from 200 to 300 mm.
7 Mpa to 30Mpa strength can be obtained using Roller Compacted concrete.
Examples – Mumbai Pune Expressway, Delhi Mathura Expressway
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Benefits of Roller Compacted Concrete
Speed of Construction
Durability
Low Maintenance
Competitive Cost
Sustainability
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Cold Weather and Hot Weather Concreting
Any concreting operation done below 5˚C atmospheric
temperature or below is known as cold weather concreting.
Cold weather is a period when more than three consecutive days
following situations exist.
1. The average daily air temperature is less than 5˚c (40 ˚F)
2. The air temperature is not greater than 10˚c for more than 12
Hrs of day.
Problems involved in cold weather concreting
1. Delay in setting time
2. Delay in strength gaining
3. Freezing of concrete at early stage
4. Freezing and Thawing
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Precautions to be taken [IS 7861 (Part II):1981]
1. In no case concrete is allowed to freeze during first 24 hours
after concreting
2. Heating the aggregates such that frozen lumps, ice and snow
are eliminated.
3. The average temperature for individual batch is limited to
65˚c
4. Concrete temperature can be increased by passing steam
through pipes embedded in stockpiles.
5. Use of Rapid hardening cement
6. Use of entrained concrete
7. Place concrete in the thermal heat in daylight hours.
8. After final finishing, concrete to be covered with insulating
materials like wood, canvas, polyethylene film etc.
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Hot weather concreting
Any operation of concrete done at atmospheric temperature above 40˚c is
considered has Hot weather concreting.
The climatic factors that affect concreting in hot weather are
1. High ambient temperature
2. High concrete Temperature
3. Low related humidity
4. High wind speed
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Effect of Hot weather on concrete
1. Rapid rate of hydration, Quick setting and early stiffening
2. Rapid evaporation of mixing water
3. Greater plastic shrinkage
4. Accelerates slump loss
5. Increases cracks
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Precautions during hot weather concreting
1. Aggregates should be protected fro direct sun rays by
shed or covering, to prevent slump loss.
2. Sprinkling water over aggregates and keeping them
moist
3. Circulating refrigerated air
4. Concrete mixer should be positioned as closed to
point of placement of concrete to reduce length and
time of delivery
5. Use of admixtures
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