Shotcrete is becoming an ideal method for cement application and for building various infrastructures. It is used in building deep and long tunnels worldwide, characterized by variations in temperature in the rocks. The thermal effect can play quite an effective role in the shotcrete process. Most geothermal environments have a high temperature in the rocks, and this issue cannot be ignored during shotcreting.
Shotcrete is one of the ideal methods for underground construction. However, ground temperature is an issue when the shotcrete method is used to construct tunnels, water preservation, or any hydropower project. The temperature of the ground and rocks in these areas plays an important role in the final result of the shotcrete process and defines its strength, durability, and compressibility.
This blog post also discusses the effects of terrestrial heat or ground heat on the shotcreting process and how the impacts can be reduced.
Effects Of Terrestrial Heat On Shotcrete
Humans have been using geothermal energy for a long time; however, terrestrial heat is not applicable and effective during construction because of the height of damage to the project and, ultimately, the negative impact it brings out on the construction safety and project quality.
Terrestrial heat can affect the shotcrete process and increase the number of failures for several reasons. So how is shotcrete affected by terrestrial heat, and what can shotcrete companies do about it? Continue reading to discover the effects of terrestrial heat on the shotcrete process.
The Efficiency Of Construction Workers Is Reduced
One of the biggest impacts of high temperature of the ground or terrestrial heat is the efficiency of construction workers. It is greatly reduced during the process because it becomes hard for these construction workers to work under such heated conditions, affecting their efficiency and increasing the failure rate of the project.
Delays The Milestones
The high-temperature environment also delays the milestones under the mentioned timeline, impacting the budget by increasing the project scope.
Affects The Structural Stability
It also affects the adhesion of the shotcrete-to-rock of the tunnel or any other structure. Therefore, the concrete may likely fail because the stress generated by the temperature affects the stability of the concrete structure.
Affects The Material
The high temperature of the ground can also affect the material. For example, some construction projects involve a blast hole, which is affected by the temperature of the surrounding rock of the tunnel. In this case, the dumb gun will frequently explode, leading to serious safety hazards. Ultimately, it will have an impact on the project and its progress. Moreover, research has shown that shotcrete-to-rock adhesion strength is affected in high-temperature tunnels, making the rock-concrete interface fail.
How Can You Prevent Terrestrial Heating Effects On Shotcrete?
The answer to this question is to hire a professional company experienced in the shotcrete process for underground projects. They know how to deal with terrestrial heat. There are some methods for improving the concrete application in areas around higher temperatures. Some of the solutions used in these circumstances are using comprehensive cooling, adding a mixture to the concrete, and increasing the roughness of the surface of the rock mass to improve its strength.
Final Words
Terrestrial heat can significantly impact the normal operations of construction. Despite being quite an advanced process, shotcrete is affected by the temperatures of the ground and rocks surrounding a tunnel. This makes the process quite complex, only a professional shotcrete company will know how to manage such circumstances. Hiring a professional shotcrete company can solve half of your problems because they have the required experience in such situations and take steps to solve such ground temperature issues.
About Spray Force Concrete
SprayForce Concrete Services Ltd is COR certified and a BBB – A+ accredited business. Our ACI – certified nozzlemen have over ten years of experience providing complete shotcrete services to residential, industrial, commercial, and architectural-based projects of all sizes. Our service area includes Calgary, Airdrie, Banff, Canmore, Chestermere, Cochrane, the surrounding area, and Edmonton, Lethbridge, and Saskatoon.
Our ACI-certified nozzlemen have experience in structural repairs, shotcrete soil nail walls, slope stabilization, erosion protection, structural walls, and architectural rock. Call us for more information or get a quote today.