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| Use of Ready Mix and Concrete |
RMC is
generally looked upon as a costly product rather than a facility to get an
appropriate quality product on site as and when required.The first cost of RMC
may seem higher . However, there are several hidden advantages which can cause
considerable reduction in cost to the owner. Since they cannot be accurately
determined, they are ignored while evaluating the cost of RMC over site mixed
produced concrete.
The
following points answer the above question:
·
Generally speaking, the quality of concrete
will be superior than site mixed concrete. However ,it will greatly depend on
the controls and checks exercised at site and at RMC producer's plant.
·
There is a considerable wastage of materials
on site due to poor storage conditions and repeated shifting of the mixer
location. This is prevented if RMC is used.
·
In most cities, the plot area is barely
sufficient to store reinforcement steel, formwork, concrete and other
construction materials. Using RMC can cause less congestion and better
housekeeping on the site resulting in efficient working environment.
·
Obtaining RMC at site can reduce supervision
and labor costs which would otherwise be required for batching and mixing of
concrete at site.
·
Many sites in cities, house their work force
on the site itself to reduce the time and cost of daily travel. This creates
unsafe and unhygienic conditions on the site as well as for the surrounding
areas. This will reduce to a certain extent if RMC is utilized.
·
Fluctuation of raw material prices and their
availability has always caused delays and problems of inventory and storage for
site producers of concrete. This is totally avoided when RMC is used.
·
RMC plants have proper facilities to store
and accurately batch concrete admixtures (chemical and mineral). To improve
properties of concrete both in plastic and in hardened stage this accuracy is
useful.
·
In general, RMC plants have superior and
accurate batching arrangements than the weigh batchers used on site.
·
RMC plants have superior mixers than the
rotating drum mixers generally used for mixing concrete materials at site.
·
RMC plants have efficient batching and
mixing, facilities which improve both quality and speed of concrete production.
·
Temperature control of concrete in extreme
weather conditions can be exercised in a much better manner than done at site.
·
RMC helps encourage" mechanization and
new technologies like pumped concrete bulk transportation of cement production
of self-compacting concrete and high strength high performance concrete.
·
New materials like micro silica and fibers
can be safely used in RMC which in conventional concrete may pose problems.
·
Introduction of RMC improves the rate of
supply of concrete in the formwork and thereby automatically improves quality
of formwork, layout of reinforcement steel and its detailing and safety /
strength of scaffolding and staging.
