Hello World! Welcome Friends! Also popular as gunite, shotcrete is a very fine concrete that you can deposit by jetting it with high velocity onto a surface. It is a mixture of cement, aggregates, and water that is usually reinforced by conventional steel rods, steel mesh, or fiber. For shotcreting, you need a special tool that consists of a mortar gun or concrete sprayer and a compressor. To know more about the purpose of the shotcrete and its benefits, here is your read.
Why Should You Prefer Shotcrete?
Shotcrete offers numerous advantages over conventional concrete as it requires less formwork and only a small portable plant for manufacture and placement. In comparison to concrete that is consolidated by vibration, you consolidate the shotcrete by the impact of a high-velocity jet impinging on the surface. Here is a quick overview of how shotcrete suffices all your needs.
- It is capable of excellent bonding with other materials which makes the concrete layers very strong.
- Shotcrete offers low permeability.
- It is very easy to use in comparison to concrete and doesn’t need many pre-setting requirements.
- Since the cement concentration in the shotcrete is high, it is very durable.
- Shotcrete is resistant to fire, disasters, mold, and worms.
- It provides a good thermal resistance mass.
- You can apply shotcrete by a nozzle from a safe distance.
- It is ideal for irregular surfaces.
Like other concrete, shotcrete too requires adequate curing for the prevention of cracks. Assure a strong and waterproof shotcrete surface by curving it with water for a minimum duration of 14 days. However, you make sure that you start the process only from the time the concrete has attained a sufficient set. It can attain a strength of around 450-550 kg/cm2 in 28 days when cured properly.
Applications of Shotcrete
Shotcrete has huge applications in different construction sites. From small construction sites that are hard to reach to large construction sites, shotcreting proves beneficial. Here is a key list of applications of shotcrete:
- In different constructions, shotcrete is used as thin overhead vertical or horizontal surfaces. It particularly proves economical for curved or folded sections for example canal, reservoir, and tunnel lining
- You can use it to construct water retaining surfaces for example swimming pools, prestressed tanks, and much more
- In the stabilization of rock slopes. It also provides temporary protection of freshly excavated rock surfaces
- It has a great utility for protection against long-term corrosion. Common examples include protection in coal bunkers, oil tanks, and steel building frames.
- It is a great choice in encasing structural steel for fireproofing.
- Shotcrete is also a great choice for high-temperature applications, for example, in case of refractory lining of kilns, chimneys, furnaces, and much more.
Conclusion
Shotcrete has always proven to be the best options for the construction of surfaces that are hard to reach for example tunnel construction or curved surfaces like dome etc. This technology improvement over concrete enables you to complete your task more efficiently. It also proves to be more economical in terms of money and time for large constructions. For any guidance connect with us at shotcrete website.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
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