Pneumatically sprayed wet and dry mix concretes
Flexible and versatile concrete application
Mining, tunnelling, drilling, or soil removal can jeopardise the integrity of a site and can pose safety issues and construction delays. If not addressed, the risk of collapse or excessive soil movement can occur. Strengthening and stabilising slopes, walls and roofs of structures with concrete during excavation and construction is a proven process.
Typically, conventional concrete is poured or cast with the assistance of expensive formwork and shutters, but it is not always time efficient or economical.
Shotcrete is a process where a modified wet concrete mix is pumped down a delivery line and sprayed onto a surface through a nozzle using compressed air as the propellant. *Gunite, on the other hand is a dry concrete mix where water is added at the nozzle also using compressed air as the propellant. Both shotcrete and gunite can be applied vertically and overhead, do not require formwork and are more versatile and efficient alternatives to traditional concrete cast-in-place methods. Mainmark utilises both wet or dry mix shotcrete concrete processes, depending on the site requirements.
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Shotcrete and gunite have proven to be very effective in:
Slope and embankment stabilisation |
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Tunnel wall and ceiling strengthening |
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Temporary shoring |
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Retaining walls |
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Culvert remediation |
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Swimming pool construction |
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Concrete wall construction |
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Concrete reinforcement |
Mainmark | Shotcrete & Gunite
How is Shotcrete or Gunite applied?
Shotcrete or gunite concrete will often include reinforcement to provide flexural strength. The reinforcement can be in the form of conventional steel bars or mesh, or steel or plastic fibres contained in the shotcrete or gunite mixes.
Shotcrete compacts as it is placed providing instant or rapid curing, with an excellent bond to the substrate and has an increased resistance to chemical abrasion. Due to the nature of application, sites that have complex forms or shapes are covered evenly via layers reducing voids and providing strong and even placement.
Shotcreting generally uses large equipment and, if access is constrained, shotcreting operations will be limited to the distance that the pump can deliver the concrete, normally less than 250-300m.
Gunite can be mixed and applied using smaller pumping equipment and dry bagged concretes at the work face. This makes gunite a particularly useful application method on difficult to access sites.
Mainmark can provide a one stop solution, from preparation work (dowelling, steel or mesh fixing, strip drain installation and drilling of weepholes), to applying the desired finish (mock rock, gun, screed, sponge or wood float) across all industries including civil, mining and infrastructure. Our solutions are cost effective, time efficient and provide longevity.
Features |
Benefits |
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| Durable and strong materials | Cement based and resistant to the effects of weather, fire, corrosion, and some chemicals. |
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| Versatile materials and application | Available in a range of mixes and strengths suitable for a variety of environments and applications. |
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| Flexible and efficient application | Requires little or no formwork, and can be applied vertically or overhead. |
*Gunite was the original term used by Carl Akeley, the inventor of shotcrete, in 1907. Gunite was originally a trademarked name that specifically referred to the dry-mix pneumatic cement application process.
