Civil Engineering Construction Management Engineering

Types of Concrete Pumps

Concrete pumps

Initially, a basic concrete pump was developed as a hydraulic two-cylinder pump. This operates by the principle that the concrete is drawn from the hopper by one piston and pushed by the other in the outlet pipe. A valve is used to control the choice in which cylinders must be opened to the hopper and which must be opened to the discharge tube.

In the future, variations have been bought in this design to facilitate the pumping of high pressure when the cement has to be pumped at different heights and lengths. In the quick building of high-rise buildings, this development has met with excellent demand.

Types of Concrete Pumps

Different concrete pumps have been created based on the pumping pressure, easy operation, and development of techniques. Concrete pumps have the main classification as:

1.Line Concrete Pumps

Concrete line pumps are compact units primarily used for small buildings. A line pump on the truck or on the trailer is installed in the system. Therefore the arrangement is also known as a concrete pump or truck-mounted concrete pump mounted on a trailer.

2.Boom Concrete Pumps

For the entire time of concrete pouring for a construction project, the boom concrete pumps remain in a particular position. These are therefore stationary pumps for concrete. They are larger and are placed on the ground. They are attached in different lengths with the cranes or boom arm.
The pumping of concrete at various heights, as in high-rise building, can be carried out with the use of concrete boom pumps. The pipeline can be reached by boomed concrete pumps up and down. These pumps can, therefore, cast tight places. These pumps can readily overcome obstacles during the concrete casting route.

Concrete Pump Selection

The concrete pump is chosen based on the construction criteria. The following parameters permit for the correct and proper selection of the concrete pump:

  • Manufacturer of the Concrete Pump: Choose the best concrete pump maker in the area. To do so, ask local contractors and seek help from all reputed manufacturers. The pumping process in concrete is conducted under high pressure. This long-term pressure must be resisted by a good concrete pump. When the cement pump quality is lower than average, the construction projects will be broken down and affected.
  • The purpose of Concrete Pump: The concrete pump must fulfill the purpose it was purchased entirely. For example, if a concrete pump bought could not fill the half part of a tunnel being built, the pump would have no use for the construction project.
  • Price and Economic Factors: The selected concrete pump must be reasonable and operating at the rate at which it was purchased. Avoid the possibility to buy a pump for an extremely low concrete rate. Choose a concrete pump based on price and performance. Compare price and performance.

Concrete Pump Selection Based On Work

Two main factors are regarded when the concrete pump is chosen based on the work:

  • Volumetric Concrete Output
  • The Pumping Pressure

For construction, the maximum volumetric concrete output per hour is determined for work. Based on which the pump pressure is determined. The specification for selecting the concrete pump is this pressure. Defines the power of the concrete pump’s driven unit by the required concrete output (Q) and pumping pressure (P).
Then the hydraulic output (H) is given by:

H = Q x P

See Also
Types of Contracts
Civil Engineer Interview Q & A
Types of Walls in Construction