With the acceleration of urbanization and the innovation of construction technology, concrete pumps, as the core equipment in the field of modern construction, have become indispensable technical equipment in high-rise buildings, large infrastructure projects and complex projects with their high efficiency, precision and adaptability, and play many key roles in the construction process.

Concrete pump types

In order to adapt to various scenarios of construction, concrete pumps also have various types to complete various environmental operations.

Trailer concrete pump:

This pump is moved by a trailer. It has no walking device and needs to use a trailer to change its position. Its advantages are relatively simple structure and relatively low price. For example, in some small construction sites or relatively fixed areas of the construction site, trailer concrete pumps can well complete the concrete delivery task. Concrete trailer pump is generally composed of a pumping mechanism, a hydraulic system, an electrical system, etc., and uses hydraulic power to drive components such as pistons or rotors to achieve concrete suction and discharge.

Vehicle-mounted concrete pump:

The concrete pump is installed on the chassis of a car. It has good maneuverability and can be quickly transferred between different construction sites. This pump is usually equipped with a longer distributing arm, which can deliver concrete to a higher position or a longer distance. For example, in high-rise building construction, a truck-mounted concrete pump can accurately deliver concrete to every corner of the floor through a distributing arm. Its hydraulic system and electrical system are more complex and need to meet the dual requirements of vehicle driving and pumping operations.

Concrete pump truck:

This is a highly integrated device that combines the functions of concrete mixing and pumping. It can mix concrete while pumping at the construction site. This equipment is particularly suitable for occasions with high requirements for concrete quality and continuous construction. For example, in the pier pouring project of a large bridge, a concrete pump truck can ensure the uniformity and continuous supply of concrete and avoid construction joints caused by interruptions in concrete supply.

Why choose concrete pumps for construction?

1. Improve construction efficiency

Concrete pumps can quickly transport concrete from mixing plants or mixer trucks to the construction site. For example, in the construction of basements in large residential areas, if concrete is transported manually, it is not only inefficient but also labor-intensive.

Using concrete pumps, a large amount of concrete can be transported to various pouring points in the basement in a short time, greatly speeding up the construction progress. It can continuously transport concrete, reducing the waiting time and waste of concrete during transportation, so that concrete can be poured in time and the construction quality of concrete can be ensured.

2. Ensure construction quality

Concrete pumps can ensure the uniformity of concrete. During the pumping process, the concrete is subjected to a certain pressure in the pipeline, which helps the aggregate and cement slurry inside the concrete to be fully mixed. Moreover, the distribution arm of the concrete pump can evenly distribute the concrete on the construction surface.

For example, when pouring the floor slab, the distribution arm can move according to the set trajectory to spread the concrete evenly, avoiding the situation of too much or too little local concrete, thereby ensuring the flatness and strength of the floor slab. At the same time, the concrete pump can accurately control the delivery volume of concrete, which is also of great significance for the control of concrete mix ratio and the guarantee of construction quality.

3. Adapt to complex construction environment

Concrete pumps can adapt to different construction heights and distances. For high-rise buildings, the distributing arm of a vehicle-mounted concrete pump or a concrete pump truck can be extended to very high floors.

For example, in the construction of some super-high-rise buildings, the distributing arm of a concrete pump can reach dozens or even hundreds of floors to deliver concrete to the parts that need to be poured. Moreover, the concrete pump can also adapt to the complex construction site environment through pipeline extension. In some narrow construction sites or underground spaces, by reasonably arranging pipelines, the concrete pump can also deliver concrete to the designated location to complete the construction task.

What scenarios can concrete pumps be used for in construction?

Concrete pumps are widely used in construction projects. They almost run through many key links of construction. The following are the applications of concrete pumps in the construction field:

12 applications of concrete pumps in construction

1. Concrete pumps for pile foundation construction

In pile foundation construction, concrete pumps are used to transport concrete into the pile hole. For example, in precast pile construction, concrete pumps can transport concrete into the hole of precast piles to ensure the compactness and strength of the pile foundation. In cast-in-place pile construction, concrete pumps can continuously transport concrete to the bottom of the pile hole to avoid concrete segregation during transportation and ensure the quality of the pile foundation.

2. Concrete pumps for foundation raft slab pouring

For large-area foundation raft slabs, concrete pumps can quickly and evenly transport concrete to various parts of the raft slab. For example, in the foundation construction of large commercial buildings or industrial plants, concrete pumps can efficiently complete the pouring of raft slabs, ensure the continuous supply of concrete, avoid the generation of construction joints, and improve the integrity and impermeability of the foundation.

3. Column, beam and slab casting

In the main structure construction, concrete pumps are used to cast columns, beams and slabs. For example, in the construction of high-rise buildings, concrete pumps can deliver concrete to the columns, beams and slabs of each floor through the distributing arm to ensure the uniform distribution and compactness of the concrete. For complex frame structures, concrete pumps can flexibly adjust the position of the distributing arm to deliver concrete to every corner and improve construction efficiency.

4. Shear wall casting

Shear walls are important lateral force resisting components in high-rise buildings, and concrete pumps play an important role in the casting of shear walls. Through the distributing arm of the concrete pump, concrete can be evenly delivered to the formwork of the shear wall to ensure the compactness and strength of the concrete. At the same time, the continuous delivery capacity of the concrete pump can ensure the casting quality of the shear wall and avoid construction joints caused by interruptions in the concrete supply.

5. Concrete pumps used for stair casting

In stair construction, concrete pumps can deliver concrete to the position of the stair steps to ensure the casting quality of the stairs. For example, in the construction of stairs in high-rise residential or commercial buildings, concrete pumps can flexibly adjust the position of the distributing arm to deliver concrete to each step of the stairs to ensure the compactness and strength of the stairs.

6. Concrete pumps used for elevator shaft pouring

The elevator shaft is an important vertical transportation facility in high-rise buildings, and concrete pumps play a key role in the pouring of elevator shafts. Through the distributing arm of the concrete pump, concrete can be evenly delivered to various parts of the elevator shaft to ensure the pouring quality of the elevator shaft. At the same time, the continuous delivery capacity of the concrete pump can ensure the pouring efficiency of the elevator shaft and avoid construction joints caused by interruptions in concrete supply.

7. Concrete pumps used for bridge construction

In bridge construction, concrete pumps are used to pour bridge piers, abutments and bridge decks. For example, in the construction of piers of large bridges, concrete pumps can deliver concrete to various parts of the piers through long-arm distributing arms to ensure the pouring quality of the piers. For bridge deck construction, concrete pumps can quickly and evenly deliver concrete to the bridge deck to improve construction efficiency.

8. Concrete pump used for tunnel construction

In tunnel construction, concrete pumps are used to pour tunnel linings. For example, in the construction of subway tunnels or highway tunnels, concrete pumps can deliver concrete into the tunnel through pipelines to ensure the pouring quality of the tunnel lining. At the same time, the continuous delivery capacity of the concrete pump can ensure the pouring efficiency of the tunnel lining and avoid construction joints caused by interruptions in concrete supply.

9. Concrete pump used for ground leveling layer pouring

In the construction of the ground leveling layer, the concrete pump can deliver concrete to the location of the ground leveling layer to ensure the flatness and compactness of the ground leveling layer. For example, in the ground construction of large commercial buildings or industrial plants, the concrete pump can quickly and evenly deliver concrete to the ground leveling layer to improve construction efficiency.

10. Concrete pump used for roof construction

In roof construction, concrete pumps are used to pour roof waterproofing and insulation layers. For example, in the roof construction of large buildings, the concrete pump can deliver concrete to various parts of the roof through the distributing arm to ensure the pouring quality of the roof waterproofing and insulation layers. At the same time, the continuous delivery capacity of the concrete pump can ensure the efficiency of roof construction and avoid construction joints caused by interruptions in concrete supply.

11. Concrete pump used for concrete repair

During the construction process, if concrete cracks or other quality problems occur, the concrete pump can be used to repair the concrete. For example, in the construction of bridges or tunnels, if concrete cracks are found, the concrete pump can transport the repair material to the crack location through the pipeline for rapid repair to ensure the integrity and safety of the structure.

12. Concrete pump used for special projects

In some special projects, such as large pools and underground parking lots, concrete pumps also play an important role. For example, in the construction of large pools, concrete pumps can transport concrete to various parts of the pool through the distributing arm to ensure the pouring quality of the pool. In the construction of underground parking lots, concrete pumps can quickly and evenly transport concrete to every corner of the underground parking lot, improving construction efficiency.

Concrete pumps are widely used in construction projects. They provide strong support for construction through efficient and continuous concrete delivery capabilities. In actual construction, the rational selection and use of concrete pumps can significantly improve construction efficiency and quality and ensure the smooth progress of construction projects.

How high can a concrete pump truck deliver concrete?

The delivery height of a concrete pump truck varies depending on the equipment model and configuration. Generally speaking, the maximum pumping height range of common concrete pump trucks is as follows:

Specific to different brands and models of concrete pump trucks, their maximum pumping heights are also different. For example:

• SMAT Machinery’s 13MPa concrete pump has a maximum pumping height of about 130 meters.
• A model of concrete pump truck displayed on Tiebi Engineering Machinery’s website has a maximum spreading height of 62 meters.

In actual construction, the delivery height of the concrete pump truck will also be affected by many factors, such as the mix ratio of concrete, the layout of pipelines, and the maintenance status of equipment.

Therefore, before construction, it is necessary to select the appropriate concrete pump truck model according to the specific project requirements and site conditions, and carry out a detailed construction plan design. SMAT can design a reasonable plan based on your on-site project needs.