Concrete is the most widely used engineering material, that simulates the properties of rock. It is a combination of aggregates, normally natural sand and gravel /crushed rock, bound together by a hydraulic binder, such as Portland Cement and is activated by water.
All materials that Rubbles use in the production of concrete are Primary aggregates, we do not use any recycled product as this can compromise the concretes strength and durability.
We supply on-site mixed concrete, this method of producing concrete is preferred for clients where their requirements change last minute whilst on-site. Or for clients that require multiple different grades of concrete on the same site.
The advantages of our volumetric service are
Concrete
Concrete is the most widely used engineering material, that simulates the properties of rock. It is a combination of aggregates, normally natural sand and gravel /crushed rock, bound together by a hydraulic binder, such as Portland Cement and is activated by water.
Below we will be exploring the concrete grades available, along with their strengths and applications, to help you decide which grade is ideal for your upcoming project.
Scroll and click on the grade below for description of its uses. We supply C7 - C40.
CONCRETE GRADES
STRENGTH: 7Newton/28 days
USES: Domestic foundations, edging, kerb bedding, haunching, backing
STRENGTH: 10Newtons/28 days
USES: Non-structural, strip footings, garden walls, trench fill & pad foundations, drainage works, oversite below suspended slabs, binding house floors
STRENGTH: 15Newtons/28days
USES: Foundations, floors (particularly when no permanent finish will be added. e.g tiles carpet, house / garage floors where there is no metal embedded, paving for steps and pathways.
STRENGTH: 20Newtons/28days
USES: Foundations for large walls, garage, houses and extensions with no embedded metal, paving for patios.
STRENGTH: 25Newtons/28days
USES: Foundations for unstable/soft ground, foundations, groundwork, mass concrete fill, reinforced fill and trench fill, kerbing, patio
STRENGTH: 30Newtons/28days
CHARACTERISTICS: PAV 1 designated concrete are air-entrained concrete mixes. The air-entrainment process purposefully forms tiny air bubbles within the concrete, which boosts both its durability and its ability to withstand freeze-thaw cycles. The presence of bubbles also increases the workability of the concrete whilst in a plastic state.
USES: Domestic driveways & parking, external parking, access route for heavy vehicles, reinforced foundations, bases for workshops
STRENGTH: 35Newtons/28days
CHARACTERISTICS: PAV2 concrete is a heavy-duty use concrete. It offers high quality similar to PAV1 but is much more substantial making it suitable for commercial and industrial use. PAV 2 mixes have an air entrainment additive to create standard sized air bubbles in the concrete. This helps to protect the surface from freeze-thaw cycles, making it especially useful for outdoor paving.
USES: Heavy-duty external paving and slabbing, reinforced bases for commercial and agricultural buildings, house / garage floors with embedded metal.
STRENGTH: 40Newtons/28days
CHARACTERISTICS: C40 concrete is a strong commercial grade concrete mix.
USES: Paving for HGV parks, manholes, lamp-posts, road signs, structural beams and foundations, slurry and silage pits for farms, chemically harsh environments.
Screed
Screed is a thin, top layer of material laid over a concrete subfloor. It is traditionally made of sharp sand and cement, in a 4:1 ratio. There are generally three main techniques of applying of screed, these are as follows:
Below we will be exploring the grades of screed available, to help you decide which grade is ideal for your upcoming project.
Scroll and click on the grade below for description of its uses.
SCREED GRADES
SCREED 5 (5_1)
For finishing floors, where a smooth finish is required, 5:1 is the ratio of sharp sand to cement, so this is the weakest of the 2 options.
SCREED 4 (4_1)
For finishing floors, where a smooth finish is required, 4:1 is the ratio of sharp sand to cement, so this is a medium strength mix and our most popular.
Admixes
Concrete admixtures are natural or manufactured chemicals or additives added during the concrete mixing phase to enhance specific properties of concrete, such as workability, durability, or early and final strength.
The type of Admixtures are detailed below, scroll and click on the type for a full description of its characteristics.
TYPES OF ADMIXES
As the name suggests, these admixtures reduce the amount of water content required – usually by around 5 to 10%. By adding this form of admixture to the concrete, the result is usually a higher strength concrete due to the lower water-cement ratio.
These make the concrete flow better. This type of chemical admixture effectively turns your concrete mix into a high-slump flowing concrete that is highly workable and can be placed with little to no vibration or compaction. Superplasticizers are added to the mix on-site as the effect of the chemicals only last for between 30 and 60-minutes. Once the effect of the admixture wears off, you will see a rapid reduction in the workability of the mix.
Fibres reinforce the strength. Adding fibres creates a more durable product that can be used internally and externally, in both cement and screed mixes. The resulting mix is more permeable and has increased durability due to the reduction of plastic shrinkage, which in turn reduces surface cracking, and gives a longer-lasting product. We would highly recommend adding this admixture to screeds that are going to be surrounding underfloor heating pipes due to the environment seeing regular changes in temperature.
These reduce curing time. Need a little more time to work the concrete? By adding a retarding admixture, you can slow the setting rate of the concrete. If you’re working in hot weather or in an area of high temperature, you’ll find that natural concrete – that is a standard mix, with no additions – sets much faster, therefore it may be wise to add this type of chemical admixture to give you longer to work it.
These accelerate curing time. These work in the exact opposite way to retarding admixtures. That is to say that this type of chemical admixture speeds up the setting properties of the concrete, increasing the early strength development and reducing the time it takes to properly cure. Cold weather can extend the amount of time it takes to set natural concrete, adding an accelerator will reverse the effect that the cold weather has on your mix.
Prevents corrosion of the concrete. Corrosion-inhibiting admixtures increase the passivation of reinforcement and other embedded steel. This can inhibit corrosion when passivation would otherwise have been lost as a result of chloride ingress or carbonation. They are added to concrete during production and are referred to as ‘integral’ corrosion-inhibitors.
Foamed concrete is a highly workable, low density material incorporating up to 80% air. It is generally self-levelling, self-compacting and may be pumped. Foamed concrete is commonly used for insulating fills.
CONCRETE & SCREED PUMPING
Pumping
Click on the images below for more information on each pump.
CONCRETE STORAGE
Agitators
A Concrete Agitator is a holding drum that enables any amount of wet concrete to be stored and discharged at required time. The Agitator keeps the concrete fresh by drum rotation.
Click on the image below for more information.
Use our concrete calculator to estimate the quantity of concrete you require for your project.
Concrete Calculator
Use our concrete calculator to estimate the quantity of concrete you require for your project.
For a slab:
Enter the length and width of the slab and the average depth.
For a trench:
Enter the total length of the centreline of the trench, and the average width and depth.
Then
click
calculate.
Please note that calculated meter cubed is approximate. We recommend that all measurements and calculations are checked by the contractor on site before placing an order.
If you would like to talk to someone about your concrete requirements, please call our sales office on 01923 964 444.
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