Shotcrete

Shotcreting involves a specialized method of spraying a concrete mix onto a surface without the need for traditional formwork. This results in a rapidly hardening material used to reinforce structures - known as shotcrete or sprayed concrete.

Shotcrete is used for the construction, stabilization, and repair of structures. Shotcreting is one of the most complex concreting methods, as it requires seamless coordination between the operator, the equipment, and the concrete mix.

History of shotcrete

Carl Ethan Akeley esimene torkreeteerimispump

The beginning of shotcrete technology and its development date back to the beginning of the 20th century. American Carl Ethan Akeley, a taxidermist at the Chicago Museum of Natural History, who had designed a device for creating artificial landscapes using sprayed plaster, developed the device from around 1907 into a functional two-chamber conveyor for applying cement-based materials.

In 1911, Akeley was granted a patent for this so-called cement gun, which can be considered the “birth” of shotcrete technology. Since then, shotcrete recipes have been continuously developed and improved, especially in recent decades, achieving high-performance construction technology that has dramatically changed underground construction in particular (tunnels, mines).

Shotcrete Technology

Shotcrete technology has advanced significantly in recent decades. Although the market and technology have shifted from dry-mix to wet-mix shotcrete in terms of application volumes, this does not mean the older method is becoming obsolete. Both the dry-mix and wet-mix methods have been developed to meet specific requirements, meaning each has its rightful place. Traveter offers shotcrete services using both methods.

Dry Spraying

The concrete mix is fed dry into the spraying equipment, and water is added only at the nozzle. Because dry shotcrete equipment is much smaller and easier to handle, this method is ideal for smaller volumes, repair works, and complex surfaces (e.g., swimming pools or residential houses).

Wet Spraying

Already pre-mixed wet concrete is pumped through a hose and sprayed onto the structure. It is primarily used for large-scale works and structural stabilization (e.g., soil and rock stabilization, tunnels), where a large amount of ready-mixed concrete must be applied in a short time. Typical high-flow sprayers have a nominal capacity of up to 30 m³/hour.

Shotcrete Applications

Shotcreting can be used for a wide variety of purposes:

Securing soil or trenches
Stabilizing limestone quarries and slopes
Construction of new reinforced concrete structures
Stiffening and strengthening of existing reinforced concrete structures
Construction of shear walls
Strengthening of columns and beams
Strengthening or stabilizing building foundations
Repairing, stiffening, or strengthening overhead structures

Traveter Grupp OÜ has shotcrete pumps based on different technologies to cope with the repair, construction or securing of even the most complex structures.