Rules and regulations govern almost every society and its operations worldwide. While some of these rules take the judicial form of state-enforced laws and regulations, others are set by religious, cultural, and ethnic peripheries, informally carried forth from generation to generation.
Regardless of the reason behind their origin, it is clear that these rules facilitate discipline and order whenever you implement them. For this reason, laws also have a special place in our business world. From office SOPs to on-field best practices, rules form the core of every business operation.
Unfortunately, some disregard their importance and view them as inconsequential written guidelines. What they do not realize is that following these rules could mean the difference between being highly appreciated in society or having a tainted reputation of an irresponsible business. Shotcrete services are no exception to this reality.
The art of shotcreting also has many rules that reap rewarding and fruitful results for shotcrete service providers that follow these rules and substantial losses for those that disregard them.
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For instance, not following the ratio rules when mixing cement and water or shooting the mixture at the wrong angle, the structure will be weak and more prone to cracks, weather damage, and early deterioration. The latter only results in high repair costs for the project owner and a list of dissatisfied customers for the shotcrete contractor.
Whether you are a concrete contractor looking to boost your shotcrete service quality or a project owner seeking high-end shotcrete information, you are in the right place. This blog post will enlist and explain the five golden rules of a successful shotcrete job.
1. Preliminary Structure Evaluation And Cleanliness Are Important
If you are going to use shotcrete to repair or elevate an already standing structure, you must naturally first inspect its existing structural integrity and the risk of falling. Your integrity and professionalism are questionable if you disregard more severe damage and simply concentrate on filling in the visible holes and cracks.
The latter is especially true for vertical and overhead structures whose structural failures and falls can cause fatal accidents. Therefore, reputed shotcrete service providers should never omit the initial evaluation.
Once done with the assessment, you must eliminate all the loose materials such as dust, debris, and rock pieces that impede adequacy adhesion and smooth shotcrete shoring. You can use air, water, or both for the cleaning task.
2. Stick To The Ratios
Primarily, the success of good shotcrete services depends upon your workforce’s technical understanding and knowledge of the process. In this regard, the most critical aspect is the cement-to-water ratio, as this will ultimately determine the volume of accelerants or retardants you are going to add to your mixture.
Similarly, an excessively loose or rough mixture will lead to poor bonding.
3. Maintain An Optimal Distance To Ensure Effective Adherence
Besides the ratios, the other important determinant of adequate adhesion of the mixture to the substrate is the shooting distance. Unlike popular belief, shotcreting is not as easy as randomly shooting the mixture through a nozzle on a structure. In truth, the shooting procedure requires forethought technique and proper preparation.
Principally, the main reason shotcrete shoring enjoys primacy over traditional concrete pouring is the fact that it can be shot at a high velocity for enhanced adherence. However, this objective is lost if the shotcrete is shot from a distance that is too short or too far. Ideally, you must hold the nozzle anywhere between one and two meters from the surface.
4. Strictly Follow The 90° Spraying Technique
While high velocity ensures proper bonding, it may also result in rebounding and inadequate compactness. For this reason, even the angle at which you hold the nozzle will affect the success of your project.
Ideally, you must hold the nozzle at an angle of 90° while projecting the shotcrete mixture in circular movements on a surface. The latter ensures uniformity and a smooth finish. To further enhance consistency, start by filling in the holes and cracks and then shoot the mixture in layers.
5. Keep The Surface Moist For At least One Week
Many believe curing is only essential when we pour concrete on a surface using the traditional method. However, you must understand that shotcrete is not a completely different approach from concrete pouring. It is simply a variation resulting from a different application technique. Thus, the primary role of curing remains the same in both processes.
Therefore, you must keep the surface moist for at least seven days after the shoring job.
About SprayForce Concrete
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