Chapter Five

Mixing, Handling, Placing

and Compacting Concrete

5.1 Type of Mixers, Uniformity of Mixing and Mixing Time.

5.2 Ready-Mixed Concrete
5.3 Transporting and Handling
5.4 Placing and Compacting
5.5 Using of Admixtures
5.6 Development of Strength and Curing Methods
5.5 Specialized Techniques for Placing Concrete

a. Slip-forming

b. Tremie method

c. Shotcrete Method

d. Pre-placed aggregate concrete

a. Slip-forming

Continuous process of placing and compacting concrete

→ low-workability concrete.

Both horizontal and vertical placement are possible.

High cost, yet high rate of production.

b. Tremie method

Suitable for

Deep forms.

Underwater concreting.

Concrete characteristics: high workability, cohesive with no

segregation, or bleeding.

Thus, concrete should be:

Rich (high cement content).

Contain high fines content.
Contains workability aids ( such as pozzolan an admixtures).
c. Shotcrete Method

This is the name given to mortar or concrete conveyed through

a hose and pneumatically projected at high velocity onto a
backup surface.

Used for:
Thin, lightly reinforced sections: shells, folded plate roofs,
tunnel linings, and prestressed concrete tanks.

Repair of deteriorated concrete.

Stabilizing rock slopes.

Encasing steel for fire proofing

Thin overlays on concrete, masonry or steel.

Since shotcrete concrete is sprayed on a backup surface,
and then gradually built up to a thickness of up to
100mm, only one side of framework is needed.

This means:
 Economic: no form ties or supports needed.
Cement content  → Economy 
Equipments and mode of placing  → Economy 
 WET PROCESS

DRY PROCESS
Two Process:

A. Dry mix process.

Greater length of delivery.
Better with porous light weight aggregate.

B. Wet mix process.

Gives better control of the quantity of water and any admixture used.
Less produced dust; better working conditions.
Concrete Mix Properties

A. Relatively dry consistence: to support it self.

B. Wet enough: to achieve good compaction; without rebound that

could cause segregation.

C. W/C ratio range: 0.35-0.50 (with little bleeding)

D. Other requirements:

Dmax ≤ 25mm; but coarse aggregate content should be lower than

conventional concrete so as to reduce possibility of
rebounding.

Use of small size reinforcement is preferred: To reduce or prevent

rebounding
Curing is important: Rapid curing should be adopted
due to the large Surface / Volume
d. Pre-placed aggregate concrete

Produced in two stages:

CA is placed and compacted in the forms; aggregate should gap-graded.

Voids (form 33%) are filled with mortar.

CA should be wetted to remove dust before injecting of mortar,

using slotted pipes (35 mm in diameter) and slots 2m spaced.

No internal vibration; but external one at the level of top of the

mortar which improve the exposed surface. Typical mortar consists
of 2 parts cement to 1 part of fly ash to reduce bleeding and segregation.
Preplaced Aggregate

Injection Tube

Withdraw after Injection

Mortar Injection

Preplaced
Aggregate
Preplaced Aggregate
Uses:

1. Sections contain large number of embedded items (in nuclear

shields).

2. Underwater construction: to reduced segregation possibility.

3. Water retaining structures.

4. Large Monolithic blocks.

5. Repair work (because of low shrinkage and permeability of

replaced aggregate concrete).

6. Exposed aggregate finish [ uniform surface].

7. Mass construction: reducing aggregate temperature by
refrigerated water before.

8. mortar is junction.

9. Cold weather construction: steam can be circulated to pre-

heat the aggregate.

Negative Aspect
Numerous practical difficulties.
Considerable skills and experience are needed.