Concrete trucks are an essential part of the construction industry, allowing for the delivery of mixed concrete to job sites. These trucks are equipped with a rotating drum that mixes the components of cement, water, and gravel or stone together to create concrete. The truck operator can then pour the material out of the barrel and into the prepared work area using a hopper or long hose. Portable concrete mixers are also used on job sites where a smaller volume of concrete is required, allowing for fabrication on-site and giving workers more time to use it before it hardens.
For larger projects, concrete transit mixers or concrete truck mixers are used to keep fresh concrete alive for hours before waiting concrete mixers lay the concrete. However, these mixers need constant cleaning and maintenance to prevent dirt buildup and ensure that the drum does not fail. In addition, volumetric and dosed mixers are often used during high-rise construction and can be combined with pumping trucks to deliver concrete to more than 15 floors above ground. The working process of a concrete truck begins with the mixing of dry ingredients, aggregate, and cement in the rotating drum.
When the driver is within a few miles of the site, water is added to create fresh concrete for delivery. The truck maintains the liquid state of the material by stirring or turning the drum until delivery. This is considered batch delivery of ready-mix concrete, off-site mixing of ingredients and trucking where they are needed. For smaller volume jobs, portable concrete mixers are often used so that concrete can be manufactured on the construction site, giving workers enough time to use it before it hardens. Portable concrete mixers can run on gasoline engines or electric motors that use standard mains current.
Manufacturers of volumetric concrete mixers say their products are more environmentally friendly because they save fuel by mixing materials on the construction site; trucks don't have to run their engines to prevent concrete from settling. When it comes time to empty the drum, it may be desirable to try to empty as much as possible before lifting it by having it washed by a local fire department with fire hoses. This depends on whether concrete and water can be made to drain from the opening or if the access plate is at a low point and can be removed for better drainage. From mixing concrete to delivery out of the barrel, these machines are widely used in processing and mixing of concrete in plants and in volumetric mixers, as well as in traditional transit mixers. Concrete trucks are an essential part of any construction project, allowing for efficient delivery of mixed concrete to job sites.
