9 Questions Before Making Shotcrete Mix

Design
Before making a mix design for shotcrete or sprayed concrete, it is needed to get sufficient
information from the clients. Adequate support information will be resulted in technically and
economically effect for the work. A proper mix design assure a successful trial and thus,
successful application on site.
Hereafter is a list of 9 questions to the ask the clients prior to making a shocrete mix design:
1. The location of shotcrete to be applied? Slope stabilization, overhead and wall in tunnel
2. Wet or Dry process will be applied? Normally, dry process for slope stabilization, wet process
for tunnel lining.
3. The requirement of early strength (8 hours, 72 hours, 7 days, 28 days) and the final strength at
each location.
4. Slump requirement (for wet process only)
5. What accelerator admixture to be used? Please note that it would be better to use liquid
admixture in rainy season.
6. What is the concrete spraying machine to be used? Rotor Machine (for both wet and dry
process) or Pump Machine (wet process only)
7. What kind and type of cement to be used (cement should be super fine. Blain Surface fineness
is greater than 4000 square centimeter per gram) PC cement is most suitable for early strength
requirement.
8. A dispenser system need to be installed in case wet process is used. Is such liquid dosing unit
available?
9. Any other information is helpful in designing shotcrete mix?
Once these question get answered, the mix designing process can be started. For shotcrete or
sprayed concrete, trial is a must be prior to the issue of mix design for actual application.

What is shotcrete?

As per the American Concrete Institute (ACI), shotcrete can be defined as a mortar or concrete,
pneumatically projected at high velocity through a pressure resistant conveying line onto a
surface, where it is compacted on impact.

Cement, sand, aggregate, water, additives and admixtures are the components entering in the
production of the shotcrete mix.
Compared to normal concrete, shotcrete differs mainly from three points:

The maximal size of the aggregate used.

The way to place it.

The mixture of shotcrete can be dry or wet.

Regarding terminology we can describe Gunite as sprayed mortar while Shotcrete as a sprayed
concrete.
By gunite we means a cementitious mixture of which the particles size is limited to 8 mm.
For shotcrete we consider the use of aggregates of which the maximal size is 16 mm. However,
in the last 10 years there is a tendency to limit the maximal aggregate size to 12 mm.
Shotcrete development can be summarized from its start to nowadays as follows:
Dry process > dry process with powder accelerator > wet process with Alkali liquid
accelerator > wet process with Alkali free accelerator.