3 stages of concrete production and business prospects
Concrete production is a sought-after business: construction volumes are constantly increasing, and the need for materials is also growing. Concrete is in demand in housing construction, when laying roads and in industrial construction. This is the main raw material that is necessary for the creation of reinforced concrete structures and elements.
Concrete production
Concrete production requires large investments, but raw materials and additives for quality improvement are available, and the technology does not require special knowledge. At the same time, the income of enterprises producing concrete mixtures is high and stable. Therefore, many entrepreneurs pay attention to this area.
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The composition of the concrete mix and concrete production technology
The quality of the concrete mix is determined by its composition. The simplest concrete is obtained by mixing cement, sand (or other aggregate) and water in various proportions.
The basis of the concrete mixture (70% of the volume) is aggregates: natural materials, production waste or artificial substances. The first two types of aggregates are added to the concrete mass unchanged. Artificial – are pre-treated, as a result of which it is easy to control the quality of the final product and ensure its compliance with the requirements.
The second most important component is cement, which is prepared from a clay-lime mixture. Its share in the volume of the concrete mixture is about 11%. The type of cement determines the properties of concrete: requirements for the amount of moisture, hardening time, rate of curing. This information is usually provided by the manufacturer.
Equally important in the production of concrete is the quality of water. The strength of concrete is provided by the structure of the mixture. The fluid affects the design parameters of the concrete. It is unacceptable to use water contaminated with organic substances (silt, molds, etc.).
The composition of the concrete mixture
They interfere with the crystallization of mineral components, the development of microorganisms in a humid environment continues and leads to the destruction of the entire product. Therefore, you can use only water, which in composition corresponds to GOSTs.
Before compiling the mixture, it is necessary to formulate what characteristics the concrete should have.
Main evaluation criteria
For fresh concrete:
consistency;
degree of workability;
level of risk of delamination;
surface leveling or finishing properties.
For hardened:
compressive and tensile strength;
curing speed;
water resistance;
resistance to deformation;
heat resistance;
anti-corrosion properties;
wear resistance;
density.
These characteristics can be changed depending on the purpose of concrete, supplementing the mixture with impurities and additives. Most often, plasticizers are added to make the concrete more fluid without increasing the amount of water.
To give the concrete mixture the desired properties, hydraulic additives and color pigments are also included in the composition. When choosing additional components, it is best to consult with their manufacturer and conduct testing on prototypes.
Even a beginner can master the technology of concrete production. It includes three stages:
Primary preparation of raw materials. It consists in the preparation of chemical additives, grinding of cement (with an increase in the fineness of grinding, its strength and hardening rate increase), and heating of aggregates. These operations are carried out when they are needed.
Dosing. In production, weighing devices are used for the most accurate measurement of a given amount of ingredients.
Stirring. Aggregates with cement and other components are mixed until homogeneous. For coarse-grained mixtures, gravity-type installations are used. Lightweight concrete and fine-grained compositions are mixed with the help of blades and other devices.
The quality of mixing depends on the duration of the operation: if the duration is insufficient, it is impossible to obtain high quality concrete.
In the production of ready-mixed concrete, it must be remembered that special conditions for transportation to the consumer are imposed on it. The distance to which it can be transported without loss of quality is 50-60 kilometers.
Step by step plan how to open a concrete factory
step by step plan
If you decide to open a concrete plant, first of all, you need to determine what type of concrete your company will produce:
heavy – for construction work;
light – for the manufacture of building materials, decorative details;
silicate – with increased rates of moisture and fire resistance;
cellular – building blocks are made from it;
decorative – for finishing work.
Based on this, draw up a business plan that reflects the steps to organize the enterprise, ways to achieve production and financial indicators. Analyze the sales market.
