Ready-Mix Concrete

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Concrete is a composite consisting of the following main constituents: cement, aggregates, water, and admixtures.

Photo. CEMEX, Concrete by Design.

It is a material that can be cast into different shapes, is durable, is the most attractive construction material in terms of compressive strength (construction material with highest strength per unit cost), and its increasing use is fundamental for sustainable construction.

 

Concrete By Design

 

CEMEX does not “simply manufacture concrete”, but develops solutions based on the thorough knowledge and application of concrete technology. Leveraging years of experience, a worldwide pool of knowledge, and state-of-the-art expertise about the different concrete constituents and their interaction, CEMEX offers its customers “concrete by design”—tailor-designed concrete.

CEMEX concrete technologists are able to modify the properties of concrete through the use of innovative chemical admixtures, combined with the proper proportions of the various concrete constituents. For example, depending on the type of application and jobsite requirements, we can design concrete that is more fluid, stronger, develops strength faster, and also retains workability longer.

Through the development of chemical admixtures solutions, researchers at CEMEX’s Global Center for Technology and Innovation design special concretes that fulfill the construction industry’s increasingly demanding performance requirements. CEMEX offers a special concrete portfolio, comprised of such products as ultra rapid hardening concrete, crack-resistant/low shrinkage concrete, self-consolidating concrete (SCC), architectural concrete, pervious concrete, and a number of others.

Sustainable Benefits of Ready-Mix Concrete

We continuously work to improve the properties of concrete that make it a key component of sustainable construction: durability, resistance to aggressive environments, light reflection, and capacity to store energy, among others.

We also constantly work to develop innovative solutions that advance the sustainability of structures made with concrete. In this way, our customers can design sustainable buildings that can take advantage of the benefits of concrete in a wide range of applications.

 

Engineered Concrete

  • Harbors and Bridges: a special design of high performance concrete combines durability and low maintenance with resistance to aggressive environments.
  • Industrial Applications: concrete with high acid resistance is robust and durable for such uses as cooling towers.

 

Building and Housing

  • Structures: self-compacting concrete improves strength and durability of building structures, while reducing energy use and noise due to concrete vibration.
  • Envelope: structural lightweight concrete or Insulating Concrete Forms (ICF) offer insulation solutions to improve energy efficiency in buildings.
  • Building Design: concrete’s capacity to store energy—its thermal mass—minimizes temperature fluctuations in a building over the course of the day, reducing the need for additional heating and cooling.

 

Water and Wastewater Management

  • Pervious Pavement: pervious concrete allows rainwater to filter through and reduce flooding, while helping to decrease heat concentration.
  • Water Channels: concrete water channels are used in farming to reduce the amount of water lost as it flows through fields. Locally produced concrete also provides an affordable solution.
  • Potable Water and Sewage Systems: high performance concrete is used for pipes, which are affordable, long-lasting, have high structural strength, and can withstand water abrasion.
  • Wastewater Treatment Plants: special cements and high technology concrete design increase chemical resistance and reducing maintenance.

 

Roads and Pavements

  • Paving: Concrete roads are durable and need little maintenance. They require less energy for street lighting, keep urban areas cooler, and decrease the urban heat island effect.

 

To learn more about our resilient and efficient building solutions, visit our sustainable construction section.

Types of Ready-Mix Concrete

CEMEX has a wide range of products and services, including technical support for its different types of ready-mix concrete. Below are a few examples of ready-mix concrete technologies with special properties and performance:

 

 

Standard Ready-Mix Concrete

Standard ready-mix concrete is the most common form of concrete. It is prepared for delivery at a concrete plant instead of mixed on the construction site, which guarantees the quality of the concrete.

Architectural and Decorative Concrete

This type of concrete can provide a structural function, as well as an aesthetic or decorative finish. It can offer smooth or rough surfaces or textures, as well as a variety or range of colors.

Rapid-setting Concrete

Designed to enhance early strength development, this concrete allows fast formwork removal, accelerated construction sequencing, and rapid repair for such jobs as roads and airport runways. Typically used in low temperature (5-10°C) concreting during winter, this concrete can also be used in buildings, railways, and precast applications. In addition to saving time, this concrete technology offers improved durability and acid resistance.

Fiber-reinforced Concrete

Concrete designed with micro or macro fibers can be used either for structural applications, where the fibers can potentially substitute for steel rebar reinforcement, or for reducing shrinkage—primarily early age shrinkage. Macro fibers can significantly increase the ductility of concrete, making it highly resistant to crack formation and propagation.

Fluid-fill Concrete

Fluid mortar or concrete simplifies the process of laying pipe and cable by surrounding the pipe or cable with a tightly packed shell that provides protection from the elements, prevents settling, and enables crews to work quickly.

Roller-compacted Concrete

Compacted in place and cured, roller-compacted concrete is a zero slump concrete with the abrasion resistance to withstand high velocity water—making it the material of choice for spillways and other infrastructure subject to high flow conditions. It represents a competitive solution in terms of cost and durability when compared to asphalt.

Self-consolidating Concrete (SCC)

SCC has very high flow; therefore, it is self-leveling, eliminating the need for vibration. Due to the superplasiticizers used—chemical admixtures that impart very high flow—SCC exhibits very high compaction as a result of its low air content. Consequently, SCC can have very high strengths, exceeding 50 MPa.

Pervious Concrete

Because of its unique design mix, pervious concrete is a highly porous material that allows water, particularly rainwater, to filter through, reduces flooding and heat concentration by up to 4°C, and helps to prevent skidding on wet roads. This concrete is ideally used in parking lots, footpaths, and swimming pool border applications.

Antibacterial Concrete

This concrete controls bacteria growth and is used to help maintain clean environments in structures such as hospitals, laboratories, and farms.

We take a customized and flexible approach to better serve our customers in every location where we operate.

For more detailed information about our ready-mix concrete products in your area visit the CEMEX website for your country.

How Ready-Mix Concrete Is Made

 

Raw material used to produce concrete

 

  • Water
  • Additives
  • Cement
  • Aggregates
  • Air

Aggregates

Aggregates, which make up roughly 60% to 75% of ready-mix concrete’s volume, are obtained from quarries and aggregate banks.

Additives

Additives are solid or liquid chemical substances that can be added to ready-mix concrete before or during preparation. Most commonly used additives either improve a hardened concrete’s durability or reduce a concrete’s water content in an effort to shorten setting times.

Water

This is the mix’s vital fluid, which sets of a chemical reaction when it comes into contact with the cement.

Cement

No other material rivals cement’s importance in the mix; it’s the ingredient that gives concrete its resistance. Although types II and IV are also employed, the most widely used cements are gray Portland type I and Pozzolana Portland type C-2.

Concrete mixing

During the mixing phase the different components come together to produce a uniform mass of concrete. Mixing time is registered from the moment material and water are poured into the cement mixer, and it begins rotating.

While transporting concrete to a site, the cement mixer never stops revolving at a speed of two to six rotations per minute.

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