The Proper Use of Vibrators

precast.org/2010/05/the-proper-use-of-vibrators

By Adam D. Neuwald
Adam Neuwald was formerly a Technical Services Engineer with NPCA and a
member of the NPCA TechTeam.

Consolidating and compacting freshly placed concrete with an internal

vibrator is a fairly simple and straightforward process. However, precast
concrete manufacturers are continually spending unnecessary amounts of
time and money repairing defects often associated with the improper use
of internal vibrators. A majority of honeycombing, rock pockets, bugholes,
sand streaks, pour lines and voids can be avoided by taking the time to
properly train and educate employees on the proper use of internal
vibrators and the future problems that may arise from incorrect vibration
practices.

Freshly placed concrete can contain 5 percent to 20 percent entrapped air,

ultimately reducing the concrete’s density. Concrete with a high percentage
of entrapped air will likely have a reduced strength and increased
permeability, which will greatly reduce the durability of the concrete
product once in service.

In general the two most common mistakes made when using an internal
vibrator are removing the vibrator head too quickly and dragging the
vibrator head through the concrete. Both of these practices often seem like
logical shortcuts to the untrained individual, while the trained individual
will understand that simply leveling the concrete will not remove entrapped
air voids, bugholes and honeycombing. The trained individual will also
realize that dragging a vibrator through the concrete will form a mortar
channel in the concrete, creating a structurally weak area in the finished
product.

When training individuals on the proper use of internal vibrators, it is

important to explain the basic principals of how an internal vibrator works.
Simply put, vibratory impulses liquefy the mortar, drastically reducing the
internal friction between aggregate particles. The mixture becomes
unstable, allowing entrapped air to rise to the surface while the heavier
aggregates settle under the force of gravity into a dense matrix.

The amount of time that the vibrator must remain in the concrete will
depend on the vibrator’s frequency and amplitude and the concrete’s
workability. The frequency is the number of vibration cycles per minute
and is often presented as revolutions or vibrations per minute (rpm or
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vpm). Frequency will have an effect on lighter masses, moving sand and
slurry around aggregate and ultimately causing the mortar to liquefy. The
amplitude is the maximum distance a point on the vibrating head moves
from its position of rest. Amplitude will have an effect on heavier masses,
moving coarse aggregate and ultimately determining the radius of action
or influence. The radius of action is the area of concrete influenced by the
vibrator.

Smaller-diameter vibrators will have higher frequencies and lower

amplitudes, while larger-diameter vibrators will have lower frequencies and
higher amplitudes. As a general rule, the diameter of the vibrator should be
a quarter of the wall thickness of the product being cast. Smaller-diameter
internal vibrators with higher frequencies are typically used for
consolidating higher-slump concretes used in manufactured concrete
products.

When using internal vibrators it is important to lower the vibrator vertically

into the concrete, allowing the head to descend under its own weight.
Internal vibrators should not be forced down into the concrete. The
vibrator head should penetrate previously placed lifts of concrete by 6
inches (150 mm). If there is a considerable amount of time lapse between
the placement of subsequent lifts, it may be necessary to revibrate the
previous lift prior to placing additional concrete to minimize the potential
for pour lines and cold joints.

As noted earlier, vibration times will vary depending on the size of vibrator
used, the concrete’s workability and depth of the concrete member.
According to the Portland Cement Association, an insertion time of 5 to 15
seconds will usually provide adequate consolidation. Another general rule
of thumb is to allow the vibrator to sink under its own weight and then
remove the vibrator at a rate of about 3 seconds per vertical foot (300 mm).
Concrete should move to fill the hole left by the vibrator; otherwise briefly
reinserting the vibrator nearby should solve the problem. The vibrator
should then be reinserted close enough to the last location so that the
radius of action overlaps the last one.

Employees should familiarize themselves with each vibrator and mix design
used at the plant. Changes in the surface appearance of the concrete and
the sound or feel of the vibrator are often good indications that the
concrete has been adequately consolidated. Large air bubbles should stop
rising to the surface as large aggregate particles embed themselves into the
concrete, and a thin film of mortar (sheen) should appear on the surface.
According to the American Concrete Institute, the pitch or tone of an
internal vibrator will typically decrease when the vibrator is initially inserted
into the concrete, because the frequency will be reduced. The frequency
will then increase slightly then level off when the concrete is free of
entrapped air. Vibrator operators should become familiar with these
simple indicators.
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Vibrator operators should also be conscious of heavily reinforced areas and
the location of large blockouts, which may require increased vibration
times. Noting the quality of formed surfaces and defects during a post-
pour inspection are important steps in determining if the proper vibration
equipment and procedures have been followed. According to the NPCA
Quality Control Manual for Precast Concrete Plants, formed surfaces
should be relatively free of bugholes and honeycombed areas. The
presence of sand streaks, caused by heavy bleeding and mortar loss, and
crazing, caused by drying shrinkage cracking of the mortar, are often
indications of excessive vibration, moving concrete with a vibrator and the
use of an improperly sized vibrator.

It should be noted that the concrete mix design, placement methods and
condition of form work may also contribute to a number of the previously
mentioned defects. However, providing production personnel with the
proper vibration equipment and training should greatly reduce the amount
of time and money spent filling in bugholes and patching honeycombed
areas.

Proper procedure for using internal vibrators include:

1. Drop vertically under own weight (about 1 second/foot)

2. Withdraw slightly slower than inserted (about 3 seconds/foot)
3. Place stick in each area only once
4. Overlap vibrating radius
5. When layering concrete, place stick about 6 feet into previous
layer
6. Vibrate until surface is shiny and level, and bubbles no longer
break
7. Avoid touching formwork with vibrator

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