Shotcrete
Concrete Home >
Building Systems > Shotcrete
Shotcrete is a process where concrete is projected or "shot" under pressure using a feeder or "gun" onto a surface to form structural shapes including walls, floors, and roofs. The surface can be wood, steel, polystyrene, or any other surface that concrete can be projected onto. The surface can be trowelled smooth while the concrete is still wet.
Benefits
Shotcrete has high strength, durability, low permeability, excellent bond and limitless shape possibilities. These properties allow shotcrete to be used in most cases as a structural material. Although the hardened properties of shotcrete are similar to conventional cast-in-place concrete, the nature of the placement process provides additional benefits, such as excellent bond with most substrates and instant or rapid capabilities, particularly on complex forms or shapes. In addition to building homes, shotcrete can also be used to build pools.
Methods of Application
Wet Mix - All ingredients, including water, are thoroughly mixed and introduced into the delivery equipment. Wet material is pumped to the nozzle where compressed air is added to provide high velocity for placement and consolidation of the material onto the receiving surface.
Dry Mix - Pre-blended dry or damp materials are placed into the delivery equipment. Compressed air conveys material through a hose at high velocity to the nozzle, where water is added. Material is consolidated on the receiving surface by the high-impact velocity.
Features
The properties of both wet and dry process shotcrete can be further enhanced through the addition of many different additives or admixtures such as:
Silica Fume - Provides reduced permeability, increased compressive and flexural strength, increased resistance to alkali and chemical attack, improved resistance to water washout, reduced rebound levels and allows for thicker single pass applications.
Air-Entraining Admixtures - Improve pumpability and adhesion in wet-process shotcrete and freeze-thaw durability in both wet and dry processes.
Fibers - Control cracking, increase toughness values and improve impact resistance and energy absorption.
Accelerators - Improve placement characteristics in adverse conditions, allow for thicker single pass applications, increase production capabilities and reduce the occurrence of fallouts on structures subjected to vibration.
* Note: The above information is courtesy of the American Shotcrete Association.
> Return to top
Insulated Sandwich Panel Systems
This system consists of prefabricated panels of polystyrene insulation sandwiched between two parallel sheets of wire mesh, and sprayed with concrete on-site. Incredible strength comes from the galvanized wire that pierces the insulation at acute angles. It is welded to both sheets of wire mesh to create a truss-like support system of incredible strength. Panels are attached to the slab foundation on rebar dowels cast into the slab every two feet, so each panel is fixed to the slab at two points. Panels are easily cut, so snaking pipes and wires through the polystyrene is simple and fast. Spaces are cut for the windows before the panels are coated with sprayed concrete (shotcreted) on both sides.
 |
Shotcrete sandwich panels combine the durability of concrete with the insulating values of polystyrene.
|
These walls can achieve R-values of anywhere from 7 to 33, depending on thickness of the core insulation and concrete layers. Design flexibility is another major advantage ... perfect curves can be made on-site. Plus, shotcrete can be infinitely textured, trowelled with colors, and even painted to look like brick or stone.
Alabama Metal Industries Corporation
3245 Fayette Ave.
Birmingham, AL 35208
(800) 366-2642 or (205) 787-2611 / Fax: (205) 786-6527
www.amico-stayform.com
Hadrian Tridipanel System
P.O. Box 1747
Vista, CA 92083
(888) 682-2228 / Fax: (760) 729-0920
www.tridipanel.com
Impac International
11445 Pacific Ave.
Fontana, CA 92337
(800) 227 9591 or (951) 685 9660 / Fax: (951) 685 9662
www.impac-international.com
M2 Advanced Building System
24955 Pacific Coast Highway
Suite A103
Malibu, CA 90265
(310) 456-2110 / Fax: (310) 456-2110
www.mdue.it
NexTech Building System
P.O. Box 151148
Cape Coral, FL 33915
(866) 377-2047
www.nextechbuildingsystem.com
Solarcrete Energy Efficient Building Systems
17455 Jefferson St.
P.O. Box 696
Union, IL 60142
(815) 923-2553 / Fax: (815)923-2016
www.solarcrete.com
StormHaus
P.O. Box 25248
Houston, TX 77025
(713) 377-4209 / Fax: (832) 201-5338
www.stormhaus.com
StructurTech
1156 Bowman Rd.
Suite 101
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
(866)
427-8688 / Fax: (866) 427-8685
www.structurtech.com
ZeroNet LLC
5525 Meredith Dr.
Suite F
Des Moines, IA 50310
(515) 554-3812
www.zeronetllc.com
> Return to top
Monolithic Domes
A shotcrete monolithic dome begins as blown-up fabric balloon structure in the desired shape of the home. From that point, foam insulation is sprayed onto the inside of the fabric. Steel reinforcing bars are tied to the foam and concrete sprayed onto the foam surface to create a strong, durable, energy-efficient home.
 |
Monolithic Dome homes offer unique and exciting designs with all the benefits of concrete.
|
For an example of a dome home, click here to visit the Medford section of our Oregon page.
For information on building classes, monolithic domes, monolithic home design, or contacts for qualified monolithic dome builders, contact David South at the Monolithic Dome Institute.
Monolithic Dome Institute
P.O. Box 479
Italy, TX 76651
(800) 608-0001 or (972) 483-7423
www.monolithicdome.com
> Return to top
Shotcrete Equipment and Supplies
For a listing of companies that manufacture shotcrete equipment and supplies, click here.
> Return to top
American Shotcrete Association
The American Shotcrete Association is a non-profit organization of contractors, manufacturers, engineers, owners, and others with a common interest in promoting the use of shotcrete.
American Shotcrete Association
38800 Country Club Dr.
Farmington Hills, MI 48331
(248) 848-3780 / Fax: (248) 848-3740
www.shotcrete.org
> Return to top
Disclaimer
Listing constitutes neither an endorsement nor recommendation by the Portland Cement Association (PCA). PCA disclaims any and all responsibility for the selection of firms listed, products they supply, and/or work performed by their products. This list is titled a "Partial List" because although PCA has made reasonable efforts to include all known producer/suppliers, we are not certain this list includes all producer/suppliers. This list is in alphabetical order and is not in order of industry rank or rating. PCA also assumes no responsibility for errors and omissions in this list.
> Return to top
|