Ready-mix concrete is an excellent alternative to a common concrete mix because it requires less labor, time, and effort, and is less expensive. It is also unique because it helps maintain uniform quality throughout the process while allowing rapid concrete production.
Ready-mix concrete helps minimize problems such as poor workability, segregation, bleeding, an incorrect water-cement ratio, and insufficient mixing time, which are common in traditional concrete mixes.
Are you looking to order ready-mix concrete from ready mix concrete suppliers? There are several things you should watch out for to ensure you order high-quality concrete that delivers the results you are after.
Amount of concrete that you need
Before you place your order, determine how much concrete you will require. Concrete is often measured in cubic meters or yards, so you compute the volume of the space that requires concrete.
Thankfully, many ready-mix concrete suppliers have a concrete calculator on their website. The calculator simplifies the process by letting you instantly calculate the volume of concrete you need based on your project’s length, width, and depth.
You should note that the concrete calculator’s findings are only a guideline, as the amount of concrete you need will vary depending on where it is applied and the type of concrete you choose.
To be on the safe side, always order an additional 5-10% of concrete on top of the quantity calculated by the concrete calculator. This is because having a little extra concrete is always better than not having enough.
Know the amount of fly ash in the concrete.
You should always be cautious of the quantity of fly ash in the concrete. Some RMC producers use a large amount of fly ash in concrete, which is not problematic.
Normally, fly ash is added to concrete at a rate of 15% to 25% by mass of the cementitious material component. Plant owners do this to reduce costs and increase revenue. As a result, before purchasing RMC at lower rates, you should be cautious and avoid being duped by them.
Remember that you are always better off buying high-quality concrete at a higher price, as it will give you excellent results.
Use of concrete
When ordering your concrete mix delivery, you should tell your supplier what it will be used for, as concrete strength varies depending on the application. In the concrete industry, compressive strength is measured and expressed in pounds per square inch (psi).
A compressive strength of 4,000 psi (which means the concrete can withstand a 4,000 lb force per square inch without failure) is often sufficient. You should also consider the climate when calculating the strength of your concrete.
If you live in an area with freeze-thaw cycles, ensure your concrete has 5% air entrainment. This simply means that the concrete supplier will add a chemical to the concrete to trap air, allowing it to withstand the expansion and contraction that occur during freezing and thawing.
Test results
Best practice standards require ready-mix concrete dealers to have test facilities on their premises to conduct routine tests, such as slump and cube tests. As a result, you can cross-check the workability and strength of the concrete you ordered.
Concrete’s workability can be tested on-site using a slump test. Placement conditions and the required degree of workability primarily determine concrete slump.
According to IS 456:2000, low reinforced sections such as slabs, beams, walls, and columns should be cast with a slump of 25 to 75 mm.
Heavily reinforced parts, such as slabs, beams, walls, and columns, are cast with a slump of 50 to 100 mm. For slip form work or pumped concrete, the appropriate slump is 75 to 100mm.
Aggregate and slump
When considering the required concrete mix, two concepts may come up: aggregate and slump. Aggregate refers to the coarse aggregate size required in concrete. Coarse aggregate size varies with reinforcing bar spacing and area measurements, typically ranging from ¾ to 1 inch.
Slump is the term used to define the consistency of concrete when it is applied; it is measured in inches and is determined by both the spacing of reinforcement bars and the slope of the project area. Most house renovation tasks require a slump of 1-4 inches.
Use of admixture
To restore concrete’s workability, an additional admixture dose may be injected on-site. Some admixtures contain chlorides. If this is the case, you should determine the amount of chloride content as a percentage of the total mass of the admixture.
If the chloride content in ready-mix concrete is high, it can cause corrosion of the reinforcement steel, reducing the service life of the house or building. Therefore, you should avoid such admixtures.
The ease of working with the concrete delivery company
A given company might have the best ready-mix concrete, but if they are difficult to deal with, you won’t have a great experience.
To increase your chances of having a great experience, you should be ultra-cautious of the company that you are working with. As a rule of thumb, ensure the company has an active call line or email to make communication easy.
When you contact the company, you should agree on the delivery time. Concrete is a time-sensitive building material, so you should schedule your delivery accordingly. Discuss your alternatives with your ready-mix concrete suppliers Silver Spring and ensure the delivery time aligns with your project timeline.
Keep in mind that you will normally be given a delivery time window, so make sure your project is ready for concrete within that period. If the truck is forced to wait for you, not only will you incur additional fees, but the concrete quality may also suffer.
If you need to cancel a concrete order, contact the company at least 2 hours before the scheduled delivery time.
