Concrete pumping is carried out using a concrete pump. The process of transferring liquid concrete through a machine is called concrete pumping. It is a very efficient and reliable means of placing concrete. It is difficult to supply concrete to each and every part of a construction site without an efficient and reliable equipment. To resolve this trouble, contractors utilize concrete pumping method.
Therefore, it is crucial to carry out this process with efficiency and precision. One of the biggest challenges contractors face while pumping concrete is the cold weather. Due to the weather obstacles, they are compelled to face work delays. And that’s because they find it difficult to operate the concrete pump during extreme temperatures.
Cold weather brings one of the biggest obstacles to operating a concrete pump if you do not take the necessary precautions. In this weather, concrete freezes and it makes it difficult to carry out the pumping process. Therefore, it’s better to get concrete pumping services from experienced companies like Dailybn, to finish your construction project effectively.
Let us take a look at some of the important tips that will guide you in carrying out concrete pumping successfully in cold weather.
Mix It With Hot Water
To prevent concrete from freeing in cold weather, mix it with hot water. Mixing concrete with hot water makes sure that it doesn’t freeze when you pump it through the pipeline. It is to be noted that you should mix the water during the waiting and delivery stages. Moreover, it is also important to mix the slurry with hot water when priming to avoid freezing against the pipe and restricting the flow of concrete.
Get The Pipes Insulated
Another way to avoid the concrete from freezing is to insulate the pipes. You can do it in a number of ways. One of the best ways to insulate pipes is to attach foam tubes around the pipeline. The foam attached around the pipeline makes a good form of an insulator. It preserves the heat within the pipes, which makes it easy for the concrete to flow freely during the pumping process. By doing so, you can easily combat the weather effects on the pour.
Pre-Heat The Unit
You can efficiently fight back the cold weather effects on the concrete by warming the boom. For doing this job, you need to get a heat-resistant hose and connect it to the exit point of the concrete pump’s exhaust pipe. Now, put the other end at the tip of the pump’s boom, and allow the heated air to exit via a hopper.
The heated exhaust air will heat the pipeline and the concrete, which will help you effectively avoid the freezing of the concrete in the system.
Make sure that there is an open pathway for air to exit the unit to avoid building up of pressure in the truck’s engine. The built-up pressure can put a strain on truck’s engine, and it can cause serious issues with the engine.
Turn Off The Machinery If Concrete Freezes
If you find that concrete is freezing during the pumping process, it is advisable that you should switch off all machinery. Allow it to sufficiently warm up and defrost before restarting. It will clean all existing residue of the original mix. If you continue to pump the frozen concrete, it could damage equipment.
Utilize Concrete Accelerator
The risk of freezing doesn’t get over even after the concrete has left the pump. It is likely to freeze before setting, due to the cold weather. If it freezes before setting, it will not set correctly and you may have to re-lay it.
You can resolve this trouble by utilizing an accelerator. It speeds up the process of setting, which can effectively help you avoid freezing of the concrete. You can use additives such as calcium chloride or similar ones in speeding up the process of setting the concrete. When you use an accelerator, it is important that you keep the concrete alive using the same techniques that you use in pumping during hot weather.
It is to be noted that you should stop or decrease the use of the accelerator once you find the temperature is rising or else the concrete can flash just like in hot weather.
Use Health And Safety Procedures
You should follow health and safety procedures at all times when you carry out concrete pumping. You should utilize protective clothing like hard hats, safety goggles, gloves, long-sleeved and legged clothes and robust footwear while performing the job of concrete pumping.
In cold weather, take an extra care while standing on pipework or the steps and platforms of machinery. It is because ice may have formed making the surfaces hazardous. So
You can effectively fight out the cold weather obstacles in concrete pumping with the precautions and tips we discussed above.