News Detail
Shotcrete Gunite -Both Shotcrete Machine and Gunite Machine open up new methods of concrete construction. Sprayed concrete lets you go vertical with concrete without all the formwork needed for poured in place concrete.
Concrete can be applied to a vertical or overhead surface with a trowel or pneumatically with a shotcrete or gunite process. While the processes are different, some people use the terms interchangeably. This paper reviews the differences in the processes and looks at their inherent advantages and disadvantages. Both systems require a trained crew.
One distinct advantage of either the Shotcrete Machine or Gunite Machine system over hand-application is the water/cement (W/C) ratio of the in-place concrete. A benefit of Shotcrete Machine and Gunite Machine is that the in-place W/C ratio is usually less than a mix that was not pneumatically applied. One of the reasons for this is that more water is evaporated during the spraying process than is evaporated with the trowel process.
Shotcrete machine– Shotcrete is the process of pumping wet concrete down a hose to apply it to a surface. At the shotcrete nozzle, air is added. The air from the shotcrete nozzle provides several functions, including to propel the mix at a higher velocity and to spread the mix out into a cone-shaped spray pattern. Since the shotcrete is being propelled at a high velocity, compaction occurs as the shotcrete particles accumulate on the application surface. Increasing the air can mean higher shotcrete velocity and better compaction, which leads to denser concrete that exhibits greater compressive strength and less permeability. With shotcrete the W/C ratio is controlled at the batch plant or at the mixing station. The concrete needs to be plastic enough to pump. Since low W/C ratios produce a more durable and water-resistant mix, water-reducing agents are often used. In general, a W/C ratio under 0.5 produces a more durable and waterproof mix. Since the concrete is pumped wet, the process is also known as Wet Mix.