FAQS

WHAT IS READY MIX CONCRETE?

Ready mix concrete is a type of concrete that is mixed to client specifications within a batch plant, and then delivered to a site to be immediately used.

The requested proportions of aggregates, cement and water are mixed offsite – we will only charge you for the amount of concrete you actually ordered, and will mix the concrete to your exact specifications.  

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN READY MIX CONCRETE AND NORMAL CONCRETE?

The key difference between ready mix concrete and normal concrete is the location in which it is mixed.

Ready mix concrete is mixed offsite and delivered to the site in a specialist vehicle, allowing for better quality assurance and a quicker turnaround.

Normal concrete is delivered in its component parts and will require mixing onsite.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF READY MIX CONCRETE?

Ready mix concrete has multiple benefits:

• High quality product can be achieved, as the system used to produce it can be controlled more effectively.

• Lower costs, as there will be no expenditure involved in storing any raw materials to buying them separately.

• Saves time, as the pre-mixed concrete will be delivered to your site, ready to use straight away.

• Eco-friendly, due to the reduction in material wastage compared with normal concrete.

HOW IS READY MIX CONCRETE MADE?

Water and cement are formed into a paste, which is then used to coat and bind together the aggregates (including rocks and sand) – this creates the mass that is known as concrete.

These proportions will need to be perfectly balanced to achieve a durable product that still has the right amount of workability.

Generally, the cement will be batch created in a plant before being mixed in transit to the site.

HOW DO I PREPARE FOR WORKING WITH READY MIX CONCRETE?

Even though ready mix concrete is pre-prepared on your behalf, it’s still important to prepare your site for its arrival.

Ensure there is a place for it to be stored before the project commences.

Also make sure you have all the necessary tools and safety clothing needed to work with ready mix concrete, helping you use the concrete with professionalism and in an entirely safe manner.  

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CEMENT AND CONCRETE?

Though often used interchangeably, the words concrete and cement refer to two different things. Cement is a binding agent used in making concrete, while concrete is a mixture of cement, water and an aggregate of rock or sand.

WHAT IS HIGH STRENGTH CONCRETE?

Concrete is typically classified into 2 different categories. These categories include high and normal strength. The variations associated with high and normal strength concrete has to do with each type's compressive strength.

The most prevalent form of concrete, and the one utilized in most construction projects, is called High strength Concrete, which is usually composed of concrete containing gypsum, cement, sand, slurry, and water.

Regular concrete, on the other hand, which can withstand around 10 ~ 40 MPa pressure, is mostly used for residential building projects.

WHAT IS HIGH PERFORMANCE CONCRETE (HPC)?

HPC concrete is designed to have better mechanical properties and a higher resistance to aggressive chemicals than traditional concrete.

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At the present time, high-performance concrete in developed countries usually refers to concrete with 28-day compressive strength beyond 70–80 MPa, durability factor (defined as the percentage of original modulus retained after 300 freeze/thaw cycles) above 80%, and w/c below 0.35.

It is made with good quality aggregates, high cement content (450–550 kgm−3), and a high dosage of both silica fume (5–15 wt.% of cement) and superplasticizer (5–15 lm−3). Sometimes other pozzolanic materials are also used.

The high performance is achieved with the use of low w/c (0.20–0.35) as well as pozzolans to produce a dense microstructure that is high in strength and low in permeability.

Superplasticizer is added to keep the mix workable.

WHAT IS MASS CONCRETING?

The concrete placed in different massive structures such as dams, bridge piers, canal locks, etc. is known as mass concrete.

Large bridge piers, foundations, and such as dams like the massive structure, the mass concreting technique is used.

For also, mass concrete strength, economy, uniformity, and other factors considered should take into account.

The temperature shrinkage is the major problem in mass concrete work. To prevent shrinkage, one must have excellent control of early setting the mass concrete intended for a large structure.

In mass concrete, the water-cement ratio reaction the temperature rise within a large concrete mass.

And in mass concrete, if the heat is not quickly dissipated, it can be quite high.

In mass concrete, larger size aggregates (up to 150 mm maximum) and low slump (very stiff consistency) are used to reduce the amount of cement in the concrete mix (normally 5 bags per m3 of mass concrete).

WHY IS TEMPERATURE CONTROL IMPORTANT IN MASS CONCRETING?

In mass concrete, the heat of hydration may increase the temperature considerably due to the greater mass of the concrete.

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In order to ensure the quality and durability of larger projects, it is important to monitor and control concrete mix temperature, ambient temperature, and differential temperature in mass concrete elements.

Temperature differences can cause stress that leads to thermal cracks, as well as loss of structural integrity, thus shortening the life and decreasing the strength of the mass concrete element.

If the temperature goes below a certain number, the hydration of water can slow or stop meaning the concrete won’t set properly and won’t achieve optimal strength.

When concrete temperatures are properly monitored, appropriate adjustments are able to be made when needed.

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In mass concrete to restrained volume change associated with a decline in temperature as the heat of hydration is dissipated, the significant tensile stress and strain may result.

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