RMC or ready mix concrete is a specific building material which is a fusion of cement, aggregate and various other ingredients. It is carefully weight batched at a batching plant, mixed either in the truck mixers or at the plant, and from there it is shipped to the construction site in a ready to use condition. Ready mix concrete is usually manufactured in places that are connected to the construction site by a transport operation. It is produced under factory conditions and allows maximal control over all operations, starting from manufacture to transportation.
Types of Ready mix concrete
Transit mix concrete: Also known as dry batched concrete, this particular type involves putting the ingredients directly into the mixer. The mixer’s drum revolves at top speed and then keeps on rotating at normal speed. You can easily mix the concrete at any place from the site, yard or in transit.
Shrink mix concrete
In case of shrink mixed concrete, an initial mixing of factory ingredients is already done at the plant or factory itself. Followed by this, the remaining mixing is done in a transit mixer. In order to find out how much mixing has to be done in a transit mixer, the test must be performed first and then note how much mixing was done at the plant.
Central mix concrete
Quite similar to the name, the process involves a thorough mixing of ingredients at the plant itself. It is then loaded into the truck mixer, which acts as an agitator only.
Properties of ready mix concrete
- Water reduces admixtures while minimizing the water content in the mixture, increasing strength and improving durability.
- The most typical is an air-entraining agent that gives way to millions of tiny air bubbles in the concrete. This imparts durability to concrete even in freezing and thawing exposure.
Advantages of ready mixed concrete
- Cost-effective: Since there is no expenditure involved in storing any raw materials, it cuts down on cost and makes it a more affordable option.
As the pre-mixed concrete is delivered at the site in a ready to use condition, it helps save a lot of time. - Quality and Consistency: When using ready mix concrete, properties like compressive strength, water-cement ratio, workability and slump can be easily adjusted as per the specific requirement of the project. Additionally, the use of ready mixed concrete has hastened up the construction process owing to the improvement in quality of the materials used. Unlike the old time, the use of better equipment, raw materials and finished products provide a consistent standard of quality
- Efficiency: The age-old method of mixing concrete basically involved working onsite and hence, required a lot of labour and more time to complete a project. However, with the construction industry evolving almost every day with the advent of technology, the manufacturing process now only requires very less supervision and ensures efficient use of cement. It also saves on energy and resources.
- Environment Friendly: One of the topmost priorities today is to conserve the environment. In fact, the preparation of cement on site involved a lot of risks along with low noise pollution. However, RMC helps avoid these environmental issues and is hence, an environmental-friendly option.
Ready mix concrete price starts at Rs. 3000/cubic meters and is one of the most important components used in the construction industry. It accounts for about 30-50% of the total cost of any structure being constructed. So it is important to source this building material from credible companies only. Whether you want to procure RMC online from the best building material suppliers near you or all across India, BuildSupply can be your ideal platform for buying them.