What is concrete? Generally speaking, it is a compound mixture of gravel cement, sand and water that is formed when the material is mixed. Proper mixing of these materials with approximate or accurate ratio composition is what makes the concrete durable and of great quality. In Pakistan, for small house construction projects the concrete mix is done by hand which is tiresome work and requires lots of time and energy. Usually, a small concrete mixing machine also used for the same purpose. There is another type which is called ready mix concrete which was first introduced by the German architect Jurgen Heinrich Magens in 1903. In this article, you are going to read brief information about this type of concrete and its pros and cons.
What is Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC)
Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) is basically concrete that is made in a single batch plant, following a pre-engineered precast concrete mixture design. The actual delivery involves either gravity or truck delivery systems. It is usually delivered in two manners. One method delivers the concrete directly to the job site. The other method delivers the concrete in a removable injection machine (RIE).
Concrete ready mix concrete requires precise mixing techniques and controlled temperatures during manufacturing. These processes are carried out in a well-lit environment with proper ventilation and in a temperature-controlled area. A unique manufacturing process makes ready-mix concrete superior to conventional wet mix concrete when it comes to construction quality and consistency. In addition to using precise mixing techniques and temperature control, the concrete used in the production also undergoes other processes such as drilling, breaking, pouring and drying. This type of concrete is also durable and strong, which makes it ideal for both exterior and interior applications. These are two broad ways to deliver ready-mix concrete at the site.
In-Transit Mixer
The in-transit mixer is the type of mixer fixed on a truck that delivers concrete consist of sand, cement, crush in a plastic state at the site.
Volumetric Concrete Mixer
A volumetric concrete mixer essentially is a dual-action concrete mixer fitted on a trailer or truck, which contains two separate compartments for water, sand and cement. These are then combined on a job location to create the exact amount of needed concrete. The use of this type of mixer means that the concrete mixers themselves will be much larger and so capable of mixing a greater volume of material than ordinary concrete mixers. One of the advantages of these types of mixers is that they can provide higher pour rates, meaning that more of the concrete will be ready before the start of the workday.
Advantages
As the name implies, it is ready to use right after being mixed. It can be used on any surface including roads, sidewalks, floors, slabs, and much more. This material can also be used for various types of applications where elaborate design is required. For example, ready-mix concrete can be used for driveways, garages, pool fences, footpaths, walkways, and more. Concrete also has a variety of benefits over traditional mixtures.
- The most obvious benefit of ready-mix concrete is that the product can be instantly ready to use.
- Ready-mix concrete offers superior performance and durability over traditional mixtures as it is very consistent. This consistency makes it very desirable and usable for a variety of structures. In addition, the process of how this type of concrete is made will ensure that you do not end up with a pile of cracked or uneven concrete.
- A large amount of ready mix concrete is possible to transfer from one place to another to handle large construction projects.
- Material wastages are very less and you don’t need to place your raw material on construction sites.
Disadvantages
There are a few disadvantages and limitations depending on the type of construction project.
- The cost of the ready mix concrete is 25% to 30% higher than the conventional concrete mixing process.
- It is difficult for these trucks to move in congested areas so this is nearly impossible to use ready-mix concrete in the construction of such buildings located at such places normally within the city.
- The accurate ratio of concrete is possible.
- Unavailability of the nearest concrete mixing batching plant will be an issue as the approximate life of ready-mix concrete is 1 hour to 1. 5 hours.
Conclusion
Ready mix concrete is a convenient and ideal solution to the mixing of concrete for application. This eliminates the need to prepare the mixture by following the right composition method. Although, the main advantage is that it can be attained in no time to cater even critical man-hours at short notice.
Contact Tameerkaro
We at Tameerkaro always try to use new technologies that ensure the strong structure from its foundation to the top. For your next commercial or industrial building construction call at 0300-0556666 or visit our website to get free estimate.