READY MIX CONCRETE

HISTORY OF READY MIX CONCRETE –

In India Ready Mix concrete plant was launched about two decades ago. Lack of
proper manuals, higher initial costs than conventional site mixed concrete, high initial
investments for installation of automatic batching plants and also lack of awareness
were the major causes that led to an initial set back to Ready Mix concrete
industry. In the present era, rapid urbanization has commercials like shopping
malls, retail units, multiplexes, and other real estate projects have largely increased
the demand of good quality concrete is also one of the basic requirements to make
the structures earthquake resistant.

READY MIX CONCRTE

Problems in availability of land in urban cities particularly the metro and mega cities
have increased the need for vertical expansion due to restrictions and constraints in
the horizontal expansion. Thereby construction of tall structures has become an
essential requirement of urban cities. Thus in course of time awareness of the
advantages of using Ready Mix concrete pant and realization of the fact that the
conventional concrete may result in higher life cycle cost due to higher maintenance
costs made the construction industry to adopt Ready Mix concrete plant as a better
option economically and qualitatively. But in India about 3% of the total cement
produced is utilized in Ready Mix concrete plant against 70% of the cement
produced being utilized in UK and US.

Conmet is one of the fastest growing equipment manufacturers in India making fully
automatic Concrete Batching Plants, truck mixer, concrete pumps and concrete
paving machines for canals and roads as well as automated material handling
equipments and storage systems. A concrete Batching plant is a manufacturing
 unit where all the ingredients required to produce concrete are mixed before being
used at the construction plant. A batching plant requires reliable supply and exact
deployment of concrete for effective functioning. The concrete batching plants at the
construction site serves the purpose of eliminates the problem of inefficiency. It also
minimizes the risk of waste. It reduces air pollution in and around worksite. It reduces
labor cost and the rent of land which is used for manufacturing concrete.

SCOPE OF READY MIX CONCRETE (RMC) –

Long, Long years ago, their where simple houses but in 21st century we can see
houses constructed in R.C.C. Therefore concrete got more importance than any
other construction material. So the use of concrete is increasing day by day.

For construction most of the contractors and builders have to collect the raw
materials required for the construction before starting actual works. These materials
should be stored at the site properly. This technique can be possible when there will
be more empty space at the construction site which is not possible in congested
areas. At this time there is one solution to overcome all these problems that is
nothing “READY MIX CONCRETE”.

By using R.M.C we can save the time and money required for the labors. In following
places ready mix concrete can be used:-

1. Major concerting projects like dams, roads, bridges, tunnels, canals etc.
2. For concreting in congested areas where storage of materials is not possible.
3. Sites where intensity of traffic makes problems.
4. When supervisor and labor staff is less.
5. To reduce the time required for construction etc.Huge industrial and
residential projects.

EQUIPMENTS REQUIRED –
1. Concrete Batching Plant.
2. Concrete Mixer.
3. Concrete Pumps.
4. Shotcrete Machine.
5. Shotcrete machines are used for concrete spraying applications at the construction
sites. These are usually employed for wet and dry concrete spraying applications.

MIXING PROCESS –
Concrete is the result of a precise blending of cement, aggregates, additives
(adjuvants) and water in different proportions; this process occurs in batch plants.
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.

The majority of concrete production facilities are located nearby areas where
concrete is used; taking into account its setting time, concrete prepared iat 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. The Vicat Group also operates a number of mobile
factories on its client sites.

A very precise manufacturing process.A ready-mix concrete plant consists of silos

that contain cement, sand, gravel and storage thanks 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 Group’s 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.

TESTS CARRIED ON RMC –

1. The Slump Test to Ensure Ready Mix Concrete Quality.
2. The Compressive Strength Test to Check Concrete Quality.
3. Water Permeability Test to Show Concrete Quality.
4. Rapid Chloride Ion Penetration Test to Prove Concrete Quality.
5. Water Absorption Test to Demonstrate Concrete Quality.
6. Initial Surface Absorption Test to Improve Concrete Quality.
7. Column Segregation to Check Concrete Quality.

ADVANTAGE –
1.Quality assured concrete:- Concrete is produced under controlled conditions using
consistent quality of raw material.

2.High speed of construction- Speed of construction can be vary fast in case RMC is
used.

3.Reduction in cement consumption by 10 – 12 % due to better handling and proper

mixing. Further reduction is possible if mineral admixtures or cementitious materials
are used.
4.Versatility in uses and methods of placing: The mix design of the concrete can be
tailor made to suit the placing methods of the contractor.

5.Since ready mixed concrete (RMC) uses bulk cement instead of bagged cement,
dust pollution will be reduced and cement will be saved.

DISADVANTAGES –
1.The materials are batched at a central plant, and the mixing begins at that plant, so
the traveling time from the plant to the site is critical over longer distances. Some
sites are just too far away, however the use of admixtures like retarder can be
added.

2.Furthermore, access roads and site access have to be able to carry the greater
weight of the ready-mix truck plus load. (Green concrete is approx. 2.5 tonne per
m³.) This problem can be overcome by utilizing so-called 'mini mix' companies which
use smaller 4m³ capacity mixers able to reach more-restricted sites.

3.Concrete's limited time span between mixing and curing means that ready-mix
should be placed within 210 minutes of batching at the plant. Modern admixtures can
modify that time span precisely, however, so the amount and type of admixture
added to the mix is very important.

CONCLUSION –
 Ready Mix Concrete is a technique of production of concrete in massive
quantites away from the actual site of placing.
 It is very useful where demand of concrete is very high and construction sites
are in congested areas where mixing on site is not possible due to late of
storage place.
 RMC is ready to use material. It is widely adopted throughout the world.
 It gives higher strength to the structure and it is also provides higher Durability
to the structure.
 It reduces noise pollution as well as air pollution.
 The Supervisory and labour costs associated with the production of RMC is
less, and the quality of concrete is high.
 It is suitable for huge industrial and residential projects where time plays a
vital role.
 So ultimately it provides economy in the construction and better finished to the
structure.
 Hence now a days the advantages of RMC are realized by engineers and
contractors in the construction industry.