Process of Quality control for Ready Mix Concrete plant
Introduction: With adherence to Indian Standard code of practice (IS 4926), Ready Mixed Concrete alias RMC belongs to the concrete that is produced in plastic condition and does not need any treatment furthermore prior to be arranged in position in which it should be set and solidified. From central batching plant, concrete is provided for placing and there is no need for batching and mixing on site.
Usefulness of RMC plant: The consumer generally desires that his concrete should be supplied to the job in a ready-to-place state. The weight batching fully substitutes the volume batching and currently computerized weigh batchers are applied in several batching plants. Aggregates are preserved in bins correctly installed and cement and fly ash are preserved in silos. Conveyors are employed to deliver the aggregates. The pneumatic pumps are used to pump cement and fly ash into the central mixer. Electronic moisture meters, digital admixture dispensers are employed in completely automatic batching plants. All these exclusive features in RMC plant contribute to produce the workable concrete that has good longevity.
Definition of quality control: Quality control stands for a system through which entities evaluate the quality of all factors related to production.
Necessity of quality control: Concrete is a very common & globally recognized construction material and it is very cost-effective as well as robust and long-lasting material. The strength and longevity of any structure are mostly impacted by the quality of concrete. It comprises of those procedures, resources, materials and activities that affect your product and service quality as well as deliver the superior quality of concrete, reduce storage space for basic materials at site, reduce the need for acquisition or hiring of plant and machinery and get rid of the wastage of basic materials.
Given below the detailed method for quality control of concrete at RMC plant :-
1. The standard procedure of the mix design is followed to make the design for mix on the basis of the need. But presently all RMC plant now contains the excel spreadsheet that is supported with all calculations and all assumptions of mix design.
As for instance - Design mix of M35, M30 grade of concrete.
2. After design mix of concrete of specific grade, then it is submitted for the authorization from the concerned authority. The formation of standard QA/QC lab is required to perform the revision of mix design.
3. The concrete is then transmitted for the casting of trial cubes for examining the target strength as per suggestion provided by the concerned authority.
4.The checkup of incoming of raw material is done with the following process :-
1. Visual checks raw material,
2. Recognition of sampling,
3. Test based on the IS test procedure and weighing of material.
If the raw materials are found unacceptable under the visual checks, these should be rejected and based on the need confirmatory tests should be carried out prior to rejection. The supplier should be instantly notified about the rejection of his material and cautioned stating that his contract should be cancelled on the repetition of the same practice. On the basis of the Indian Standard (IS) testing procedures, standard tests for raw materials, fresh concrete and hardened concrete should be carried out.
