You may have noticed the presence of concrete mixer trucks touching construction sites, haven't you?
It is very common to observe these vehicles in all types of construction, from capitals to small cities, they are using this medium to receive ready-mix concrete in the works.
But what is it and why do you use ready-mix concrete in your work? That's what we're going to talk about in this article!
If you are in the construction business, you know that building is not always as simple a task as it seems.
Choosing materials is a fundamental step to guarantee a good result for your project. And the quality control of the inputs used in the work is a major challenge.
In the case of concrete it is no different. Therefore, being careful when choosing the concrete you will use in your work will have a long-term effect on the quality and durability of your project.
Because it is tailor-made to meet customer needs, ready-mix concrete has been widely used in construction due to greater quality control, waste reduction, labor and application.
Thus, its use is increasing on construction sites and that's why we brought you this article: to help you understand more about ready-mix concrete and assess whether or not it is worth using it. Then, read on to learn more about this topic.
Ready-mix concrete, which can also be called plant dosed concrete (CDC), differs from turn-on concrete by the simple fact that it is prepared and mixed in a concrete plant and is taken to the construction site ready for application.
Thus, when prepared in a mill, the materials that make up the dough are measured using a precise, analytical dosage and is accompanied by a specialized team, ensuring that the dough reaches the ideal thickness. All of this influences the quality and durability of every work, which is why it's important!
To further guarantee the quality of the concrete that will be transported to buildings, it is manufactured in mills under the NBR 7212/2012 standard, which refers to central batching.
After preparation and mixing, the concrete is taken by concrete mixer trucks to the construction sites. In addition to ensuring better quality for concrete, its use is frequent in urban centers since physical space is limited, making it difficult to produce concrete in large quantities.
You could see that the advantages are numerous when it comes to ready-mix concrete, but will we learn more about them in the next topic?
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What are the advantages of using ready-mix concrete?
Among the various pluses What the use of ready-mix concrete can offer, we can mention:
Quality control: because it is manufactured in mills, there is greater quality control of the material;
Homogeneity of concrete: because it is manufactured in mills, there is greater rigor when selecting and measuring the inputs used;
Concrete trace: more accurate, which guarantees more quality and durability of the structure;
Productivity gain on construction sites: since the mill is responsible for providing ready concrete, there is a gain in the speed of the work;
Gain of physical space on the construction site: since the manufacture of concrete takes place in mills, there is no need to reserve space on the construction site for the preparation of concrete;
Reduction of material waste: waste is practically zero;
Increased concrete quality: the preparation of concrete in mills allows the use of additives, generating more resistant concrete;
Reduced labor.
What about its drawbacks?
Despite the various advantages offered by the use of ready-mix concrete, it is also important to highlight its disadvantages, namely:
Higher price when compared to turned-on concrete, and its cost may be more than 10% higher.
Dependency on the contracted company: since the preparation and delivery of the concrete will be under the company's responsibility, if there are any setbacks, it is beyond your reach to resolve them.
If there are delays in delivery due to traffic or traffic jams, the quality of the concrete may be impaired.
Restriction for working with small quantities of concrete since contracts generally compensate only for larger quantities.
How to calculate the amount of concrete?
It's simple! suffices measures the volume of the area where you will be using the concrete. Using this method that I will explain to you, you can save money and avoid waste when hiring ready-mix concrete.
If it's a slab, all you have to do is calculate the volume of this area, based on the formula:
length x height x width (dimensions of the area that will receive the concrete) = amount of ready-mix concrete
Since ready-mix concrete is sold in cubic meters, by making this calculation, you will already have the precise amount of how much you are going to use in your work. See how easy it is?
What precautions must be taken when receiving concrete?
After making a good selection of the concrete supplier, it is still necessary to take some care in Receipt of the material in the work. Some cautions are:
Seal the trucks: many companies use sealing on trucks as a way to guarantee the quality and origin of the concrete sold. This avoids the relocation of trucks between construction sites. Therefore, do not accept trucks without the seal intact.
Fiscal Note: it is important to check the note to verify that the code is correct. In addition, in the note you can verify important information, such as the indication of the volume of water used in the trace and the time of departure of the truck from the plant. Knowing the time of departure of the truck from the plant is essential, since the expiration date of the concrete is a few hours and, knowing the time of departure and arrival of the truck, it is possible to know if the concrete is within the expiration date.
Technical analysis of the product: it is recommended that a concrete analysis be carried out through specialized companies. Slump tests can also be performed. When the concrete mixer truck arrives at the construction site, the workers verify the tolerance used in that concrete, that is, they certify the quality of the concrete.
How to do the analysis after concreting?
After concreting, the concrete curing process begins, which lasts about 28 days. It is during this process that concrete gains strength and hardening. There are some ways to cure concrete, one of them is to keep a thin layer of water on the concrete or to use Chemical cure, through the application of products.
It is worth noting the importance of providing good shoring of beams and slabs, which is done using wooden supports or a metal restraint system.
After the concrete has cured, it is important to carry out a strength test, through specialized companies, which carry out tests and analyses to certify the strength of the concrete sold by the supplier.
What is the price of ready-mix concrete?
The price of ready-mix concrete may vary depending on where it will be applied. If it needs to be launched on a high floor of a building, for example, the price will certainly be higher.
However, it is generally around 300 reais per cubic meter, remembering that the price may depend on the region and the place where it will be applied. Therefore, make a quote at several companies before hiring and qualify your supplier so that you don't have problems with the work in the future.
Conclusion
Now that you have understood everything about ready-mix concrete, it is essential to plan the concrete well, starting with the selection and budgeting of the supplier, then taking the time to check when you receive the product and, finally, taking care of the curing process, after concreting. By following all the steps we present in this article, there's no mistake! And, when it is waterproof the slab or other areas of your work, consult the team of Blok to present you with the best solutions for your projects!
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