Vacuum Concrete: Strength, Applications, Advantages, and Disadvantages

What Is Vacuum Concrete?

Vacuum concrete is that type of concrete where the extra water is removed for increasing the strength of concrete. A small part of concreting part is constructing by vacuum concrete of slab and walls; then, we need to maintain the water-cement ratio 0.5-0.65.

If we remove the excess water and air from the vacuum concrete at the time of constructing, then we get a better strength. We use a vacuum pump, surface treatment for the treatment of vacuum concrete.

Application of Vacuum Concrete

1. The main application of vacuum concrete is hydropower plants.
2. Vacuum concrete application is a cooling tower.
3. The another application of vacuum concrete is on the industrial floor, cold storages, etc.
4. Vacuum concrete is widely used in bridges of ports and harbours.

Advantages of Vacuum Concrete

There are many advantages of vacuum concrete, those are:

1. The one of the main advantages of vacuum concrete is the density of this concrete is higher than other concrete.
2. The vacuum concrete has decreasing power of permeability; it is also one of the main advantage.
3. The final strength of concrete is increased by 25% than any other concrete.
4. The stiffness of this concrete is very high; that’s why the formwork is easily removed within 30 minutes and columns of the height of 20 feet.
5. Vacuum concrete has a bond strength of 20% higher than other concrete.
6. The one of the main advantages of this vacuum concrete is the cost of this is reasonable, so it’s economical. Vacuum concrete is mainly used in the precast factory.
7. Vacuum concrete creates well bonds with older concrete; this is the main reason for using this concrete for repair purpose. This is mainly used in road slab repair.

Disadvantages of Vacuum Concrete

1. The one of the main disadvantages of vacuum concrete is it requires specific equipments than other concrete, so this is the main cause of the increase in the cost of concrete.
2. Vacuum concrete needs more skillful labours; it’s another disadvantage.
3. The initial cost of the vacuum concrete is higher than the normal one.
4. Vacuum concrete needs more power consumption for using special and specific equipment.
5. The porosity of vacuum concrete is a little bit higher than normal concrete; for this reason, it allows to move the of substances like oil, water, grease, etc.

Process of Vacuum Concrete

1. In normal concrete, workability is the main factor to speed up the construction work, but we don’t think too much about the workability of vacuum concrete.
2. In the vacuum concrete procedure, there is a huge amount of vacuum present on the top surface of the concrete.
3. In vacuum concrete processing, there are a large amount of water is removed from a certain depth of the concrete.
4. Vacuum concrete is constructed by laying porous mats which are connected by a vacuum pump.
5. After that, the water-cement is reduced, and the concrete gains it is strength.
6. Vacuum concrete has higher strength capacity, low permeability, and higher durability property, which make the concrete very effective to use.

FAQs About Vacuum Concrete

What is vacuum concrete?

Vacuum concrete is a type of concrete where excess water and air are removed during the construction process to enhance its strength and durability.

What are the applications of vacuum concrete?

Vacuum concrete is commonly used in hydropower plants, cooling towers, industrial floors, cold storages, bridges in ports and harbors, and for road slab repairs due to its enhanced strength and durability.

What are the advantages of vacuum concrete?

1. Vacuum concrete has a higher density and reduced permeability compared to traditional concrete.
2. It achieves up to 25% higher strength than conventional concrete.
3. Vacuum concrete bonds well with older concrete, making it suitable for repair purposes.
4. It allows for faster formwork removal, typically within 30 minutes for columns up to 20 feet high.
5. Economically viable due to reasonable costs, especially in precast factory settings.

What are the disadvantages of vacuum concrete?

1. Requires specialized equipment and skilled labor, increasing initial costs.
2. Higher initial cost compared to traditional concrete.
3. Requires more power consumption due to the use of specific equipment.
4. Slightly higher porosity compared to normal concrete, which can allow substances like oil, water, and grease to penetrate.

How is vacuum concrete processed?

1. Vacuum concrete involves laying porous mats connected to a vacuum pump on the surface of the concrete.
2. Excess water is removed from a certain depth of the concrete, reducing the water-cement ratio and increasing strength.
3. Workability considerations differ from traditional concrete, focusing more on strength, density, and durability.

What makes vacuum concrete effective?

Vacuum concrete’s higher strength capacity, lower permeability, and greater durability make it effective for structures requiring superior performance and longevity.