http://www.rmcindia.com/customer_support.html#bottom What is Ready Mixed Concrete? As the name indicates Ready Mixed Concrete !

RMC" is the concrete which is deli#ered in the ready$to$use manner. RMC is de%ined by the American Concrete &nstitute's Committee (()R$*+ as:

,Concrete that is manu%actured %or deli#ery to a purchaser in a plastic and unhardened state-. .he &ndian /tandard /peci%ication IS 4926:2003 de%ines RMC as: ,Concrete mixed in a stationary mixer in a central batchin0 and mixin0 plant or in a truc1$mixer and supplied in %resh condition to the purchaser either at the site or into the purchaser's #ehicles-.

&n &ndia concrete has traditionally been produced on site with the primiti#e e2uipments and use o% lar0e labour %orce. Ready mixed concrete is an ad#anced technolo0y in#ol#in0 a hi0h de0ree o% mechani3ation and automation. A typical RMC plant consists o% silos and bins %or the stora0e o% cement and a00re0ates respecti#ely wei0h batchers %or proportionin0 di%%erent in0redients o% concrete hi0h e%%iciency mixer %or thorou0h mixin0 o% in0redients and a computeri3ed system controllin0 the entire production process. .he 2uality o% the resultin0 concrete is much superior to site$mixed concrete. /ite Mixed 4ersus Ready Mixed Concrete .echnolo0ically spea1in0 ready mixed concrete is certainly an ad#ancement o#er the a0e$old site mixed concrete. .he bene%its o% RMC in terms o% 2uality speed li%e$cycle cost and en#ironmental %riendliness are o#erwhelmin0ly superior to those o% site mixed concrete. 5ollowin0 brie% comparison illustrates this #i#idly:

Quality of concrete : RMC$&ndia uses sophisticated plant and e2uipment which enables it to produce 2uality concrete. .he Company exercises strict control on the 2uality o% all in0redients throu0h ri0orous testin0 applies strin0ent controls on process parameters meticulously monitors 1ey properties o% concrete in the %resh and hardened state and applies the well 1nown Cusum techni2ue to 2uic1ly detect any chan0es in the properties o% concrete. All these e%%orts result in pro#idin0 uni%orm and assured 2uality o% concrete to customers. &n contrast in a typical site$mixed concrete there is poor control on the 2uality o% input materials batchin0 o% in0redients and mixin0 o% concrete thus the resultant 2uality o% concrete is poor non$uni%orm and inconsistent. Speed of construction : Mechani3ed operations at RMC$&ndia's plants ensure that construction acti#ities are speeded up. While the production output %rom a typical site$ mixed concrete operation usin0 6/(7 mixer is around 8$9 m :/hour the output %orm a )+$ m:/hour RMC plant is around 89 m :/hour. .hus there is nearly (+$%old increase in the output %rom RMC plant which translates into direct sa#in0s to the customer; Elimination of material procurement requirements and storage hassles : With the use o% RMC customers are not re2uired to procure and store cement a00re0ates sand water and admixtures at site. .his not only drastically reduces the space re2uirements at construction sites but also minimi3es e%%orts on the part o% customers to procure di%%erent materials ensure their proper stora0e and chec1 their 2uality parameters %rom time to time. Sa ing in la!our requirement : /ite$mixed concrete is an labour$intensi#e operation and mana0in0 la0e labour %orce is a bi0 hassle %or the customer. With the use o% RMC the labour re2uirements are minimi3ed considerably thus bene%itin0 customers. 5urther as RMC$&ndia loo1s a%ter the entire <A = <C needs the customer's manpower re2uirement %or <A = <C operations is minimi3ed. .his is a sa#in0 %or the customers. "eduction in #astage : &n site$mixed concrete >ob wasta0e occurs in handlin0 o% all materials includin0 cement. .he latter is 0enerally o% the order o% about 7$: 10 per 9+ 10 ba0 o% cement. All such wasta0es are considerably minimi3ed at RMC %acility. Impro ed life cycle cost : &ncreased speed o% construction coupled with reduction in labour cost and wasta0e results in considerable sa#in0s to customers. 5urther the impro#ed 2uality o% concrete translates into enhanced lon0$term durability o% concrete thus minimi3in0 the maintenance and repair costs. ?#erall when one considers the li%e cycle costs the use o% RMC become cost$e%%ecti#e in the lon0 run. .he bene%its directly accrue to the customers. "$% is eco&friendly : All plants o% RMC$&ndia pass the pollution control norms and are duly certi%ied by the state pollution control authorities. As mentioned earlier wasta0es are reduced drastically with the use o% RMC. 5urther RMC$&ndia optimi3es the mix proportions usin0 the maximum possible potential %rom each material in0redient. All these impro#e the en#ironmental per%ormance o% concrete produced by the Company. 5inally with the appro#al o% customers/consultants RMC$&ndia uses a #ariety o% supplementary cementitious materials li1e %ly ash blast$%urnace sla0 silica %ume etc. in concrete thus conser#in0 cement and helpin0 in reduction in emissions o% 0reen house 0ases li1e C?7. .hus concrete produced by RMC$&ndia can certainly be considered to be eco$%riendly.

?#erall the use o% RMC is bene%icial to users %rom all an0les: better 2uality hi0her speed better durability sa#in0s in labour reduction in wasta0es reduction in li%e cycle cost etc. 5re2uently As1ed <uestions !5A<s" What are the ad#anta0es o% usin0 ready$mixed concrete o#er site$mixed concrete? @ow much is the di%%erence between the cost o% ready$mixed and site$mixed concrete? A detailed answer to the %irst part o% the 2uestion is enumerated in the write$up on ,What is ready$mixed concrete?- under the headin0 Customer /upport. Arie%ly the two main ad#anta0es o% ready$mixed concrete are: #ast impro#ement in the 2uality and uni%ormity o% concrete and enhanced speed o% construction. Aesides there are many other ad#anta0es which include sa#in0s in labour reduction in wasta0e elimination o% material procurement re2uirements and stora0e hassles etc. All these ad#anta0es clearly establish the technical superiority o% ready$mixed concrete o#er site$mixed concrete. As re0ards cost ready$mixed is sli0htly costlier than site$mixed concrete. .his increased cost is mainly on account o% 0o#ernment taxation. &t is indeed un%ortunate that a 2uality product li1e ready$mixed concrete is taxed in our country whereas there is no tax on site$mixed concrete; &% tax component is remo#ed the cost o% ready$mixed would be 2uite close to that o% the site$mixed concrete. @owe#er i% due consideration is 0i#en to the hi0her speed o% construction !which is possible due to use o% ready$mixed concrete" the sa#in0s on account o% early completion o% the pro>ect would %ar outwei0h the increased cost o% ready$mixed concrete. 5urther the impro#ed 2uality o% RMC would 0o a lon0 way in enhancin0 the lon0$term durability thus reducin0 the maintenance and repair expenses and hence the li%e$cycle cost o% your structures. &n addition the sa#in0s in labour and wasta0e would also be a#ailable to you. .hus i% you loo1 at the o#erall ad#anta0es and sa#in0s the increased cost o% ready$mixed concrete would appear to be a paltry sum.

&s ready mixed concrete a well established technolo0y? @ow lon0 this technolo0y is bein0 used in practice in &ndia? Bes ready$mixed concrete is a well$established technolo0y. &t was %irst patented in Cermany way bac1 in (*+:. Ay (*9+s the use o% ready mixed concrete pic1ed up in most o% the ad#anced countries in Durope and America. Eresently nearly F9 G o% the cement used in the H/A is routed throu0h ready$mixed concrete outlets. .he correspondin0 a#era0e %i0ure in Durope was 8).FG in the year 7++9. .echnolo0ically spea1in0 the production process o% ready mixed concrete has been continuously been up0raded leadin0 to impro#ement in product 2uality and uni%ormity. .oday's plants are hi0hly automated and consist o% state$o%$the$art e2uipment ha#in0 computeri3ed controls on the entire production process. Compared to the ad#anced countries &ndia was a late starter in ready$mixed concrete. RMC$&ndia is one o% the pioneers in brin0in0 this technolo0y to &ndia in (**). Iurin0 the past more than a decade RMC$&ndia and many other leadin0 manu%acturers ha#e expanded their operations to #arious metropolitan and other bi0 cities in &ndia. /u%%icient

experience and expertise ha#e been now obtained in the production and use o% ready$ mixed concrete. Bou can certainly ban1 on this experience..

@ow do we arri#e at the exact 2uantity o% concrete re2uired at our site? Bour architect/en0ineers need to wor1 out the 0rade$wise concrete re2uirements and communicate the same to our plant. .hey are the ri0ht people and are in a better position to decide the 2uantities re2uired. Concrete is 0enerally speci%ied in terms o% the 76$day compressi#e stren0th and wor1ability !usually slump" at placement point. .hese two are basic minimum re2uirements %or us to desi0n concrete mixes %or you. We will ensure that concretes in accurate 2uantity and appropriate 2uality are deli#ered to your satis%action. Can we base the measurements o% concrete on the simple J !len0th" x A !breadth" x @ !hei0ht" multiplication? All o#er the world the basis o% purchase and hence measurement o% ready$mixed concrete is the #olume o% %reshly mixed concrete. .he &ndian /tandard on ready$mixed concrete &/ 8*7):7++: states ,All concrete will be supplied and in#oiced in terms o% cubic meters !%ull or part" o% compacted %resh concrete-. &% the measurement is based on the simple J x I x @ multiplication it would be un%air to the RMC producer as it would not include the wasta0e and spilla0e o% concrete miscalculations in %orm #olume de%lection or distortions o% %orms settlement o% wet mixes o#er exca#ation loss o% entrained air etc. &n most o% these cases the responsibility does not lie with the RMC producer. &mproper exca#ation is a common site problem. Ie%lection or distortion o% %orms is also 2uite common. &t is obser#ed that i% the centre o% (9+$mm thic1 %ormwor1 o% a slab 0ets de%lected by 9 mm an increased #olume o% : G would be re2uired at the centre decreasin0 towards the ed0es. .here%ore ready$mixed concrete should only be measured based on the actual #olume o% %resh concrete supplied throu0h transit mixers.

@ow can we ensure that your transit mixer actually carries the correct 2uantity as claimed in your deli#ery doc1et? We are a pro%essionally mana0ed ready$mixed concrete company operatin0 a %ully automated and computeri3ed batchin0 system with the help o% hi0hly moti#ated personnel trained to control all process parameters care%ully. Eroduction data is automatically recorded and stored electronically in plant$based computers and can be retrie#ed and #eri%ied whene#er you wish to do so. ?ur plant has a wei0hbrid0e and all incomin0 materials are accurately wei0hed be%ore bein0 stored. /imilarly transit mixers carryin0 concrete are wei0hed %rom time to time to #eri%y the accuracy o% the material bein0 supplied to #arious sites. Bou may #isit our plant with prior appointment and #eri%y the wei0hts o% the out0oin0 truc1s on random basis. .

5urther we measure the plastic density o% %resh concrete %rom time to time and match the same with the theoretical density. &n case o% any noticeable discrepancy in the two #alues immediate action is ta1en to recti%y errors i% any. Jast but not the least our Company has an unblemished reputation o% adherin0 to ethical practices. @ence you may sa%ely trust us %or your 2uantities.

@ow do you 0uarantee the 2uality o% your concrete deli#ered at site? ?ur Company attaches immense importance to pro#ide hi0hest le#el o% 2uality assurance to our customers. .he basic %eatures o% the 2uality systems practiced by the Company are summari3ed as below : /trict control on the 2uality o% all input materials throu0h ri0orous in$house or third$party testin0 /trin0ent process control measures in#ol#in0 thorou0h inspection 0ood up1eep o% e2uipment monthly scale calibration o% wei0hin0 de#ices etc. Continuous monitorin0 o% the 1ey properties o% concrete in the %resh and hardened states includin0 their statistical analysis Ali0nment o% Company's <A = <C practices with the world$renowned <uality /cheme %or Ready$Mixed Concrete !</RMC" %rom H.K. .his in#ol#es continuous monitorin0 on all sta0es o% production and supply i.e. order processin0 purchase/control on input materials concrete mix desi0n process control sales deli#ery and statistical 2uality control. Modern in$house central laboratory at di%%erent locations %or testin0 o% concrete and its in0redients Acti#e in#ol#ement o% well$2uali%ied and experienced technical team trained in <A = <C practices. Another 1ey %eature o% the <A system practiced by the Company includes the use o% CH/HM !cumulati#e summation" techni2ue. .he system assists in 2uic1 detection o% chan0es in the properties and indicates when action should be ta1en to increase the probability o% meetin0 the speci%ications. .his early$warnin0 system has helped us meetin0 clients' re2uirements meticulously. RMC$&ndia is probably the only producer in the country to implement and use CH/HM system to ensure batch$wise consistency in concrete 2uality.

@ow can you assure us about the lon0$term durability o% our structures with your

concrete? Jon0$term durability o% your structures is dependent upon a #ariety o% %actors. &mportant amon0st them are the exposure conditions to which the structure will be sub>ected to durin0 ser#ice li%e structural desi0n and detailin0 2uality o% concrete and precautions ta1en durin0 placement compaction and curin0 o% concrete. A plethora o% research conducted on the topic o% durability indicates that permeability o% concrete is the crux o% durability and that it is 0o#erned by numerous %actors such as water$to$cementitious ratio mix proportions properties and replacement le#els o% supplementary cementitious materials such as %ly ash silica %ume 0round 0ranulated blast$%urnace sla0 and the le#els o% controls exercised durin0 placement compaction and curin0. ?ur strict <A = <C practices will ensure 0ood 2uality concrete which will pro#ide some assurance to you about its lon0$term durability. &n addition with the consent o% owner/architect/consultant we do incorporate supplementary cementitious cementitious material in our concretes to impro#e lon0$term durability. @owe#er it well 1nown that durability is also 0o#erned by %ield practices and you would appreciate that these are beyond our control. Correct placement o% concrete its proper compaction and ade2uate curin0 0o a lon0 way in ensurin0 the lon0$term durability. @owe#er the responsibilities on these accounts lie within the scope o% the contractor.

@ow the use o% %ly ash enhances 2uality o% concrete? @ow to ensure 0ood 2uality %ly ash? 5ly ash obtained %rom thermal power plant in itsel% does not possess cementitious properties. @owe#er in its %ine %orm its particles react with the calcium hydroxide produced in the hydration process o% cement leadin0 to 0eneration o% bene%icial products o% hydration. 4oluminous research wor1 done throu0hout the world on the use o% %ly ash clearly re#eals a number o% ad#anta0es leadin0 to multi$le#el impro#ements in the properties o% concrete both in its %resh and hardened states. .hese mainly include impro#ement in wor1ability and pumpability reduction in bleedin0 impro#ed later$a0e stren0th 0ain and enhancement in lon0$term durability o% structures. .hese impro#ements would happen pro#ided %ly ash used in concrete possesses speci%ic physical properties and ade2uate curin0 is carried out by the contractor. ?n our part we ta1e utmost care to ensure that only 0ood 2uality o% %ly ash is used in production. .he physical properties o% %ly ash as well as its uni%ormity re2uirements are chec1ed %rom time to time to ensure compliance with the re2uirements o% &/ :6(7:7++:. As a 2uic1 and reliable chec1 each consi0nment o% %ly ash is chec1ed by us %or the G retained on 89 micron sie#e. &% the re2uirements are not satis%actory we re>ect the consi0nment. Bou would thus obser#e that on our part we ta1e utmost care to pro#ide you a better 2uality %ly ash concrete that is better in terms o% later$a0e stren0ths and lon0$term durability.

Iurin0 concrete placement operation how detrimental it is to detain a transit mixer beyond :+$89 minutes a%ter arri#al at site? Why?

?ne o% the important hallmar1s o% ready$mixed concrete is hi0her speed o% construction. &% this ob>ecti#e is to be reali3ed it is essential %or your contractor to ali0n his operations to the mutually$a0reed schedule o% concrete placement. &% speedy production and bul1 transportation are not matched by e2ually speedy placement the basic ad#anta0e o% usin0 RMC would be lost. Elacin0 concrete with the help o% pump would be an ideal solution. &n %act we also pro#ide this ser#ice and you can surely entrust this responsibility on us. @owe#er pumpin0 is not suitable %or all applications. Bou may ha#e to use other means o% placement. While doin0 so 1indly ensure that there is least in#ol#ement o% manual labour and that our transit mixers are emptied within a span ran0in0 between :+$89 minutes. .he &/ 8*7): 7++: clearly states ,.he purchaser should plan his arran0ements so as to enable a %ull load o% concrete to be dischar0ed within :+ minutes o% arri#al on site-.

@ow much batch$to$batch #ariation is allowed in the slump o% concrete that we recei#e %rom your plant? We carry out su%%icient number o% lab and %ield trials %or #arious concrete mixes which are desi0ned %or client$speci%ied slump and compressi#e stren0ths. ?n appro#al o% the mixes the recipes are %inali3ed and incorporated in the computer$controlled automated production systems o% our plants. ?nce this is done there is less li1elihood o% any manual error on our part. @owe#er sli0ht #ariation in slump occurs due to a host o% %actors such as #ariation in the ambient temperature and humidity possible delay in transport due to tra%%ic >ams #ariation in a00re0ate 0radin0 errors in samplin0 and in carryin0 out slump test etc. With a #iew to account %or these %actors the A&/ code allows a L 79 mm #ariation in slump. .hus i% the speci%ied slump is (++mm #ariation %rom F9 to (79 mm is allowable by code. Bou should there%ore be satis%ied i% the slump at your site is within L 79 mm o% the speci%ied limit.

@ow much stren0th do you 0uarantee in F days? When the 76$day stren0th is speci%ied we are responsible and would pro#ide 0uarantee %or the same. As %ar as F$day stren0th is concerned we can pro#ide you only the indicati#e ran0e o% stren0ths. @owe#er contractually spea1in0 you would appreciate that we cannot pro#ide 0uarantee %or the F$day stren0th. &n case you speci%y early$a0e stren0th !say stren0th at : or F days" we ha#e the capability to satis%y your re2uirementsM howe#er our 2uotation %or the early$a0e stren0th would usually be hi0her than that %or the 76$day stren0th.

What is the normal %re2uency o% samplin0 o% %resh concrete?

.he &/ 8*7):7++: recommends that one sample should be ta1en %or e#ery 9+ m : o% production or e#ery 9+ batches whiche#er is the 0reater %re2uency. 5or an automated production process ha#in0 computeri3ed controls established in all our plants manual errors are drastically minimi3ed leadin0 to reduction in batch$to$batch #ariationsM hence it is not essential to ta1e samples %re2uently. Many speci%ications in other countries speci%y a much lar0er %re2uency o% samplin0M e.0. the AC& :(6:+6 speci%ies one sample to be drawn %or each (9+ yd : !((9 m:" o% concrete while the Duropean code DN 7+) speci%ies one sample %or e#ery 7++ m: o% concrete with production control certi%ication. &n our day$ to$day practice we %ollow the &/ norms that is one sample %or e#ery 9+ m : o% production or e#ery 9+ batches whiche#er is the 0reater %re2uency. &n addition to ha#in0 automated and computer$controlled production %acility we also practice a meticulous <A and <C practice. As a result #ariations in properties o% concrete are %urther minimi3ed. We %eel that once you are able to de#elop certain le#el o% con%idence within our systems it may be possible %or you to speci%y lar0er %re2uency o% samplin0. We would welcome this step and extend the necessary co$operation to you.

Why is it essential to employ trained personnel %or samplin0 and preparation o% test cubes? Althou0h samplin0 and test cube preparation are simple methods the procedures are operator$sensiti#eM hence it is essential to employ trained personnel. .a1e %or example extraction o% a ,representati#e- sample. Bou 1now that correct procedure in#ol#es ta1in0 %our incremental samples %rom the middle 6+G o% the load i0norin0 the %irst and the last (+G portion comin0 out %rom the truc1 mixer and then thorou0hly mixin0 the incremental samples. Hnless wor1men are trained in this operation they tend to #iolate the correct procedures. /imilarly standard procedures %or ma1in0 cube test specimens !%illin0 cubes in layers tampin0 each layer 79 times ade2uate protection and curin0 o% test specimens etc." tend to 0et #iolated on many occasions. .his is mainly because the wor1men at site are not trained ade2uately to do these >obs. &% samplin0 and cube preparation wor1 are done incorrectly test results could be erroneous and the producer may 0et punished %or no %ault his own. .here%ore it is our considered opinion that samplin0 and cube preparation should be done only by the trained and experienced personnel.

Can we arran0e %or transportation o% concrete %rom your plant to our site in our transit mixer/dumper? Bes. @owe#er you would appreciate that our responsibility %or the 2uality o% concrete !slump density and compressi#e stren0th" will only be #alid till we pour concrete in your #ehicles.

Io we ha#e to start curin0 earlier %or ready$mixed concrete a%ter placement? &rrespecti#e o% the type o% concrete bein0 used the curin0 process %or concrete should commence immediately once the concrete sur%ace looses its sheen which is normally within 7 hours a%ter %inishin0 compaction o% concrete. Dlse it will lead to plastic shrin1a0e crac1s. 5or more details you may re%er to our boo1let on ,Elacin0 Compaction and Curin0 o% Concrete: <uic1 .ips- a pd% #ersion o% which is a#ailable on our web site.

What is the si0ni%icance o% RMC plant bein0 certi%ied by the Ready Mixed Concrete Manu%acturers' Association !RMCMA"? .he RMCMA is an or0ani3ation o% some o% the leadin0 RMC manu%acturers %rom &ndia. .his pro%essional body with the help o% eminent National Dxperts has e#ol#ed a ,<uality /cheme %or RMC- and the same is bein0 implemented #i0orously. .he scheme is based on the best practices %ollowed in some o% the ad#anced countries and strict obser#ance o% #arious pro#isions in the concrete$speci%ic codes o% the Aureau o% &ndian /tandards. .he scheme has laid down a %ramewor1 %or 2uality which is contained in two documents O <C Manual Eart & and &&. .he essence o% the scheme lies in the audit o% production %acility carried out by an external auditor. ?nce the production %acility is success%ully audited it clearly indicates that the %acility is capable o% producin0 2uality concrete. .o brin0 in transparency and impro#e customer con%idence the scheme allows customers to #isit RMC %acility and cross$chec1 any pro#isions with the pro#isions in the certi%ied chec1 list. .hus the certi%icate %rom RMCMA %or a particular %acility pro#ides you with certain le#el o% assurance about the 2uality o% concrete.

@ow many o% your plants certi%ied by RMCMA? As o% Puly :(st 7++* more than F+G o% RMC plants o% the Company ha#e been certi%ied by the RMCMA and some more are due %or audit. &n case you wish to chec1 as to which o% our plants ha#e been certi%ied by the RMCMA 1indly 0et in touch with us.