Volumetric Concrete FAQs

Volumetric Concrete FAQs

1. What is Concrete?

Let’s start with the basics. Concrete is a building material made by mixing together a few key ingredients in specific proportions:

• Cement – This acts as the “glue” that holds everything together.
• Water – Water is essential for activating the cement and creating a workable mixture.
• Aggregates – These are the granular materials like sand and gravel that make up the bulk of the concrete.

When these ingredients are combined in the right way, the chemical reaction called hydration occurs. This causes the concrete to harden and gain strength over time, turning it into the solid material we all know.

2. What Are The Typical Proportions of Ingredients in a Concrete Mix?

While the exact proportions can vary depending on the specific application and the strength required, a typical concrete mix will look something like this:

• Cement – 10-15%
• Aggregates – 60-75%
• Water – 15-20%

It’s important to get these proportions right to ensure the concrete has the right workability, strength, and durability. Too much or too little of any ingredient can affect the quality of the final product.

3. How Does Volumetric Concrete Differ From Ready-Mix Concrete?

Both volumetric and ready-mix concrete do the same job – they harden into a solid material for construction. The difference lies in how they’re produced and delivered:

• Ready-mix concrete – This is produced in a centralised batching plant off-site. The concrete is mixed according to a set recipe and then transported to your location in a rotating drum mixer. This ensures a consistent mix, but it also means the concrete starts to harden from the moment it’s mixed.  
• Volumetric concrete – This is mixed on-site using a volumetric concrete mixer. The separate ingredients (cement, water, and aggregates) are carried in different compartments of the truck. The concrete is then mixed to your specific requirements at your location. This provides greater flexibility and reduces waste.

Here’s a table summing up the differences:

Which is better?

The best choice depends on your specific project needs. Volumetric concrete offers advantages in terms of flexibility, freshness, and reduced waste. Ready-mix concrete offers consistency and is often more suitable for large-scale projects.

4. How does a Volumetric Concrete Mixer Work?

A volumetric concrete mixer is a mobile concrete factory! Instead of mixing concrete at a fixed plant, our volumetric trucks carry all the raw ingredients and mix them on-site to create the perfect concrete for your project.  

Here’s a step-by-step look at the process:

1. Separate compartments – The truck has separate compartments for each ingredient – cement, sand, gravel, and water.
2. Precise measurements – When you place your order with the Custom Concrete Calculator the operator programs the mixer with the exact proportions needed for your specific concrete mix.  
3. Mixing on demand – As the truck travels to your site, the ingredients stay separate. The actual mixing happens only when it’s time to pour, guaranteeing fresh concrete every time.  
4. A rotating auger – The mixer has a powerful auger (a kind of rotating screw) that blends the ingredients together thoroughly. This ensures a homogenous mix with no clumps or inconsistencies.  
5. Continuous production – The mixer can produce concrete continuously, meaning you can pour as much or as little as you need without waiting for another delivery. It can also produce multiple batches if you need different mixes.
6. Real-time monitoring – The operator can monitor the mix in real-time, making adjustments if needed to ensure it meets your exact specifications.
7. Concrete Pumps – If you need a line pump or boom pump to get you concrete from the volumetric truck to the pour site, we can include pump hire in your order.

5. What Kind of Construction Projects Use Volumetric Mixers?

Volumetric mixers are a great fit for projects where flexibility, precision, and minimal waste are important. Here are a few examples:  

Smaller-scale projects:

• Foundations – Perfect for house extensions, conservatories, or new builds where the exact amount of concrete needed might be tricky to estimate beforehand.  
• Driveways and patios – Easily create different colours or finishes within the same pour, without having leftover concrete go to waste.  
• Renovations and repairs – Ideal for patching up existing concrete, where you might only need a small amount of a specific mix.
• Landscaping – Great for creating garden walls, steps, or other features where you need different types of concrete for different parts of the project.  

Larger projects (where flexibility is important):

• Road repairs – Quickly produce different types of concrete for different layers of the road surface.  

• Bridge construction – Adjust the mix on-site to account for changing weather conditions or specific strength requirements.

• Remote locations – Ideal for sites with limited access, where delivering ready-mix concrete would be difficult or expensive.  

• Emergency repairs – Perfect for situations where you need concrete quickly and can’t wait for a delivery from a batching plant.  

• High-performance concrete – Produce mixes with specific properties, such as rapid setting times or increased durability.