Method For Transportation of Concrete | Methods of Concrete Transportation

1. Mortar pan :-

This method of concreting is adopted when the area of concreting is small or concreting is carried out in small quantity. Their is no chance of segregation of concrete. In this method, the greater surface area of concrete is exposed to drying conditions and results in a great loss of water particularly in hot weather concreting.

2. Wheel Barrow and Hand Cart :-

This method is adopted for transportation of concrete on ground level. Generally wheel barrow are used in road construction for transportation of concrete. In this method concrete is subjected to high segregation due to uneven ground condition to avoid this problem pneumatic wheel are provided.

3. Skip and Hoist :-

This method is adopted for vertical transport of concrete in high rise building. Concrete is fed into the skip which travels vertically on rails like a lift. After discharging, it is better to turn over the concrete before use to avoid segregation. At a ground level, skip is directly fed by the mixer and at the discharging point, it discharges automatically or manually.

4. Crane Bucket and Ropeway :-

This method is adopted for transportation of concrete above ground level. Such as high rise buildings and hilly region. In this method Transportation can be carried out in horizontal, vertical and inclined direction. Thus it can be termed as three dimensional method of transportation.

Crane is suitable for transportation of concrete in high rise building. It can be used in both in horizontal and vertical transportation of concrete.

Where as ropeway is preferred in hilly or mountain regions. it can be used in horizontal, vertical as well as in inclined  transportation of concrete.

5. Chute :-

This method is adopted for transportation of concrete below ground level. when the labour can’t reach the place of concrete due to the less space like trenches. Care should be taken that slope should not be flatter than 1V:2.5H, otherwise concrete will not slide down. 

6. Belt Conveyor :-

This method is adopted for a small horizontal distance such as 5-meter to 10-meter. The initial cost of setting up of the belt conveyor is high. It can place large volumes of concrete quickly where access is limited. Concrete may get to segregate in steep inclines as the belt passes over the rollers. It is suggested that low slump concrete is used for slower moving belts and higher slump concrete by faster moving belts. If this method used in adverse weather conditions such as hot and windy, the long reaches of the belt must be covered. If there is any breakdown of machines, a large amount of concrete in the belt needs removal by other means and the belt is to be cleaned and washed.

7. Tremie :-

 This is the most common method for underwater transportation of concrete, tremie pipe is used for that. This word “tremie” is derived after the French word hopper. A tremie pipe is a pipe having a diameter of about 20 cm capable of easy coupling for an increase or decrease of length. A funnel is fitted to the top end to facilitate pouring of concrete. The bottom end is closed with a plug or thick polyethene sheet or such other material and taken below the water and made to rest at the point where the concrete is going to be placed.

8. Pumps and Pipelines :-

It is the most sophisticated method particularly suitable for limited space or when a large quantity of concrete is to be poured without cold joints. Pumping of concrete can be done at the rate of 8 to 70 cubic meters per hour up to a horizontal distance of 300 meter and vertical distance of 90 meter. Pipe diameter is generally 8 to 20 cm and it is made of steel., plastic or aluminum. The workability for pumped concrete should have a minimum of 40 to 100 mm of slump or 0.90 to 0.95 compacting factor. At delivery point the workability may be reduced by 25% due to compaction and this factor should be kept in mind while designing the mix.

9. Transit Mixer :-

Transit mixer is one of the most popular equipment for transporting concrete over a long distance particularly in ready mix concrete plant. They are truck mounted having a capacity of 4 to 7 cubic meter. There are two variations. In one, mixed concrete is transported to the site by keeping it agitated all along at a speed varying between 2 to 6 revolutions per minute. In other category, the concrete is batched at the central batching plant and mixing is done in the truck mixer either in transit or immediately prior to discharging concrete at site. Concrete which fed in the mixer can be either dry or wet mix. If the mix is wet then it must reach the site in 1 or 1.5 hours.

10. Dumper and Trucks :-

Dumpers and trucks are the ordinary open steel tipping lorries used for long hauls in horizontal transport at ground level. It’s used for large concrete works. This method may also cause segregation because of the jolting during transit.