Things You Should Know About Volumetric Concrete Mixing

Even though volumetric concrete mixing has been around since the middle of the 1960s and has been used in many applications, many people in the concrete business and related fields don’t know much about it.

Even worse, there are a few enduring misconceptions or prejudices regarding volumetric concrete and its potential.

To educate and dispel myths regarding this method of mixing and pouring concrete, here are several facts you should know about it:

The practice is environmentally friendly

Volumetric mixers are substantially more economical and ecologically friendly than drum mixers. At the job site, a single volumetric truck trip can produce precisely the required amount of concrete without wasting any.

According to research, up to 20 million cubic yards of ready-mix produced in the United States are returned to the factory as waste annually. This is not the case with volumetric mixing.

With volumetric mixing, the client receives the right amount of product—neither more nor less—which saves a lot. With this concrete delivery, you don’t need a location to dispose of and dump the excess concrete which comes in handy at conserving the environment.

The practice is safe

Every pour has additional urgency because the ready mix is running out, and there’s pressure to deliver it and set it up on time. Additionally, drum mixers have a reputation for running late, increasing the risk of road or construction site accidents.

A volumetric pour eliminates this urgency because no pre-mixed product could be rejected at the site or go wrong.

A volumetric mixer can complete the work without requiring the back and forth that drum mixers need for many nighttime operations.

You can use it for both small and large projects

Many individuals think smaller works are best suited for volumetric concrete. But this is not the case. The flexibility of volumetric concrete is one of its main advantages. Even though volumetric mixer trucks are the best at handling big assignments, they also have some clear advantages in smaller tasks.

A volumetric mixer may produce nearly twice as much concrete as a ready-mix drum truck.

Additionally, extra raw material can be transported to the job site for larger pours, enabling the volumetric truck to be refilled as often as necessary while maintaining a continuous pour.

Larger operations may need one or more volumetric mixers, but these machines may handle even the largest projects, which can produce a yard of concrete in under a minute and sixty yards in an hour.

With volumetric pours, there isn’t any lousy concrete in drums waiting for the pour to resume if something stops or delays it.

When pouring curbs and gutters, for example, where a continuous supply of high-quality concrete is required over an extended period, concrete mixed on-site across a distance will yield a more consistent product than a pour from one or more drum trucks.

You move with speed

Volumetric concrete offers various benefits for crucial applications such as emergency roadway repair or any project with time constraints.

There is no better choice for quick, high-quality work regarding overnight or weekend freeway repairs, where the work needs to be finished for the route to be fully opened once weekday rush hour arrives.

For instance, immediate attention is required if a car strikes a safety barrier or a bridge or flyover deck section collapses.

In such a case, you should contact a volumetric truck.

There has to be training.

Given that anyone operating a volumetric concrete mixer must be familiar with the nuances of operating a mobile batch plant, the training requirements for volumetric mixer operators may be more stringent than those for drum truck drivers.

Due to this, operators have access to a broader pool of individuals who can run a volumetric mixer after receiving on-the-job training because volumetric trucks are thought to be simpler to operate than drum trucks.

In addition to potentially drawing applicants who want to do more than simply drive, that can help address the industry’s persistent driver shortage.

The process is regulated and certified.

A standard specification for concrete made by Volumetric Batching and Continuous Mixing, ASTM C 685, was developed in 1971 by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) in conjunction with the Volumetric Mixers Manufacturers Bureau (VMMB) operator training program and volumetric mixer standards.

The ASTM C 685/C 685M-01 is the most recent version. The ACI 304.6R-91 Guide for the Use of Volumetric Measuring and Continuous Mixing Concrete Equipment was developed by the American Concrete Institute (ACI).

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) M 241-93 and ACI 548.4-93, Standard Specification for Latex-Modified Concrete (LMC) Overlays, both of which have been upgraded to 548.4-11, are other pertinent specifications.

With all these certifications, you can be sure that the concrete you receive is high quality.

Volumetric mixing is flexible.

Volumetric mixing gives each pour more control and flexibility. This implies that one vehicle can go about the site and finish many little tasks. It also means that it can use the resources it has on board to mix and pour various concrete types. No more trucks or round-trip transportation to the factory are required.

Similarly, volumetric pouring works well for utility projects or any other pour when some pour needs to be set before adding more.

When a project calls for several incremental pours spread over several hours, there is no better options than volumetric concrete.

For every size project, volumetric concrete suppliers Montgomery County control the when, where, how much, and kind of concrete mixed and applied. No other strategy can match its adaptability to every given circumstance.

Additionally, it offers construction organizations the ideal way to expand their product offerings, granting businesses and their clients greater freedom, flexibility, and quality and increased productivity and income that improves the bottom line.

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