Concrete pumps have become a common sight in both large and small-scale concrete projects. Their usage has increased over the years as contractors look for less labour-intensive approaches in their residential and commercial construction projects. There are two main types of pumps: boom bumps and ground line pumps.
Ground Line Pumps
These are hydraulic pumps with a capacity to pump liquid concrete through a series of steel pipelines and hoses to deliver the concrete to the required location. The pipeline is first connected to the concrete pump and then the concrete is poured into the hopper so that it can be pumped away.
Boom Pumps
These are much similar in configuration to the ground line pumps save for an additional feature, the hydraulic arm. This feature maneuvers alongside the pipeline allowing the latter to reach upwards, below, and even navigate obstacles and tight spots. If your project is in an area with limited space, boom concrete pumps are recommended. Concrete pumps have lots of advantages and this explains why the construction industry simply can't do without them. The quality and accuracy they bring into your project goes a long way in cutting down on construction costs.
Among the top advantages are:
Enhanced Concrete Pouring Speed – Compared to other forms of concrete delivery such as cranes and wheelbarrows, concrete pumps are much faster. Usually, the pumping equipment is mounted on a trailer or truck to give it accessibility to the many areas of your construction site. This enables you to complete your project on time without compromising on quality.
Less Labour Intensive – The cost of labour combined with the scarcity of skilled labourers for construction jobs form the greatest headache for contractors. While the concrete pump doesn't solve this problem in totality, it makes the concrete placement process much simpler and one that can be done by a few operators. This certainly will save you on labour cost as well as free part of your workforce for deployment to other sections of the site.
Quality and Accuracy in Concrete Pouring – Irrespective of whether you choose the ground line or boom concrete pump, you will benefit from quality and higher accuracy in concrete placement. This means fewer delays and little if any material wastage. The error of lumps and spills on the work site is over with concrete pumps. To add to the above, concrete pumps utilize less water in concrete mixing and this prevents cracking and shrinking of concrete thereby preserving its strength. This adds to structural integrity and less maintenance costs in the long run.
