Guerin Consulting

It is often necessary to use an industrial concrete pumping service for placement in hard to reach areas. Due to its ease and efficiency it is also often the most economical option overall. On big construction sites a boom pump would be the best option. A line pump can be more versatile and maneuverable.

Line pumps are small versatile units that are mounted on trailers for easy maneuverability. Because of their size they are normally able to be placed close to where they are needed. They are used for a whole variety of mixes such as grout, mortar, wet screed and foamed concrete.

Hydraulically driven line pumps are able to deliver over 150 cubic yards in an hour. They are very simple mechanically and make use of ball-valve systems that are very easy to clean and maintain. They are ideal for low volume use and are often used on heavily reinforced sections and shotcreting. They can also be used for underwater repairs and fabric forms.

For bigger jobs a boom pump would be used. This has a long reach and can handle large volumes. They are mounted on trucks and are always a combined unit. The boom arm will have several sections with pipes attached for pumping. These will be straight steel tubes connected by rotating bends for flexibility. The end section will be flexible rubber which makes the stream easy to direct.

Boom pumps can be used for anything form light residential use to large commercial projects. They are typically used for large slabs and multi level construction due to their long reach. They can also be used for bridge, dam and road construction.

The most common size of truck that they are mounted on is a single axel which has the best cost to volume ratio. In cases where large volumes are needed the rig can be as big as six axels to support much bigger pumps. Booms that have three of four sections will have the lowest unfolding height and would therefore be better for constrained work spaces. If a longer reach is required a five section boom can reach as far as 200 feet.

With their long reach a truck will often not have to move during operations. If placed correctly the arm should be able to reach all the areas that need to be filled in one day. This makes it easier for the ready mix trucks that have to unload into the hopper continuously. One thing to remember is that the mixture should always be suitable for pumping.

Concrete is made of three components that are cement, water and an aggregate of sand and stone. The sand, water and cement act as a lubricant against the pipe walls. The stone aggregate also has to be a limited size so that the pipes do not get blocked. To make the mixture more viscous more water can be added. Adding too much water can make the end product weaker and can cause the water to bleed out after it has been poured.

To overcome this problem various admixtures can be used to increase viscosity without adding more water. A pumping primer is specific for this purpose but fly ash and air entrainment admixture also improve pumpability as well as having other positive benefits. If you have any queries then speak to your industrial concrete pumping service.