What is ready mix concrete and what are the advantages of using it?
Ready-mix concrete (RMC) refers to a type of concrete that is manufactured in a batch plant. At McHugh, we supply volumetric concrete that allows on-site mixing of concrete. Unlike traditional ready-mix concrete, where the concrete is pre-mixed and transported to the construction site, volumetric concrete mixers carry the raw materials separately and mix them on-site as needed.
The key features of ready-mix concrete include:
Consistency: Ready-mix concrete is produced in a controlled environment, allowing for precise measurement and mixing of its components. This results in consistent quality and properties from one batch to another.
Convenience: RMC is delivered to the construction site ready for immediate use. This eliminates the need for on-site mixing, reducing labour, time, and equipment requirements.
Quality assurance: Ready-mix concrete manufacturers follow strict quality control measures to ensure that the concrete meets specified standards and requirements. This includes testing raw materials, monitoring the mixing process, and conducting quality checks on the finished product.
Customisation: Ready-mix concrete can be customised to meet specific project requirements, such as strength, durability, workability, and setting time. Engineers can design the mix proportions based on the needs of the project.
Reduced wastage: Since RMC is produced in a batch plant, the exact amount needed for a project can be ordered, reducing material wastage and cost.
Performance: Ready-mix concrete is designed to meet various performance criteria, such as strength, durability, and workability, making it suitable for a wide range of applications, including residential, commercial, industrial, and infrastructure projects.
Overall, ready-mix concrete offers numerous advantages over on-site mixing, making it a preferred choice for many construction projects where quality, consistency, and efficiency are essential.
What is ready mix concrete made of?
Ready-mix concrete is a mixture of several key components, each serving a specific purpose to achieve desired properties and performance. These components typically include:
Cement: Cement acts as a binding agent in concrete, providing cohesion and strength. Portland cement is commonly used in ready-mix concrete production.
Aggregates: Aggregates are the inert granular materials, such as sand, gravel, crushed stone, or recycled concrete, that make up the bulk of concrete. They provide volume, stability, and strength to the concrete mixture.
Water: Water is essential for the hydration of cement, which is the chemical reaction that binds the ingredients together and gives concrete its strength and durability. The amount of water used affects the workability and strength of the concrete.
Admixtures: Admixtures are added to modify the properties of concrete, such as setting time, workability, durability, and strength. Common admixtures include plasticisers (to improve workability), accelerators (to speed up setting time), retarders (to delay setting time), air-entraining agents (to improve freeze-thaw resistance), and water reducers (to reduce water content while maintaining workability).
The proportions of these components vary depending on the desired characteristics of the concrete, such as strength, durability, workability, and setting time. Ready-mix concrete is produced under controlled conditions in specialised batching plants, where these ingredients are combined in precise proportions according to a predetermined mix design. This ensures consistency and quality in the final product.
How do you calculate how much ready mix concrete you need?
To calculate how much ready-mix concrete you need you can use our handy concrete calculator
To manually work out how much you need, follow the steps below:
Determine the Volume: Measure or calculate the volume of the area where you’ll be pouring the concrete. This could be the volume of a slab, footing, column, or any other structure you’re working on. Measure the length, width, and depth in your preferred metric e.g. metres and multiply these dimensions together to find the volume in cubic metres.
For example, if you’re pouring a concrete slab that measures 3 metres long, 2.5 metres wide and 0.1 metres deep, the volume would be:
Length × Width × Depth (3 m × 2.5 m × 0.1 m) = 0.75 cubic metres.
Consider overages: It’s a good idea to order slightly more concrete than your calculated volume to account for any unexpected spillage, waste, or variations in the actual pouring thickness. In the UK, a common recommendation is to add about 5-10% to your calculated volume to ensure you have enough concrete to complete the project. Our ready mix concrete however is poured on site, so will ensure you always have just the right amount.
Order the concrete: Contact us and provide us with the calculated volume along with any special requirements for the concrete mix (e.g., strength, slump, admixtures). We will help you determine the quantity of concrete needed and schedule a delivery.
How far can ready mix concrete be pumped?
McHugh Concrete has three static line pumps, a 24m and 42m boom pump, which can overcome even the trickiest of access issues, whether those be a steep incline, steep slope, access to the rear of a property, obstacles in the way, or simply a location that is a long way from the road.
Our static line and boom concrete pumps can get concrete to the most inaccessible of sites with ease and without mess; we can even pump through buildings. Our static line pump can push concrete up to 150 metres directly into your prepared area, ready for you to level.
It makes sense to get a pump when you compare that a 6m3 pour will equate to 160 wheelbarrow loads and will take four people at least 2.5 hours to move.
What things do I need to consider when getting ready mix concrete delivered?
The main things to consider are as follows:
- Is there clear access to park on the highway in front of your property?
- How will you get the concrete to your work area; directly from chute, wheelbarrow or pumped?
- Are there any over-head or below-ground structures?
- Do you need our truck to go off the highway? If so, is the ground safe to do so? (Vehicle is 38 Tonnes fully laden.)