“Concrete ain’t concrete!”
There are many things to consider when purchasing precast concrete products, including the fact that not all concrete is created equal. With this in mind, it’s important to understand the various factors that come into play when selecting your next precast concrete product
How strong are precast concrete products?
Concrete compressive strength is measured in Megapascals or more commonly known as “mPa”. This represents the compressive strength of concrete once fully cured.
Manufacturers can measure this by performing batch testing. For example: a small sample is taken from a fresh concrete batch, this sample will be put through a series of stringent crush tests until it shows signs of stress. – Giving the concrete its 10, 20, 30, 40, 50mPa or even higher rating. – Products with an intended 20-50mPa rating need to be able to reach full compressive strength within 28 days.
How quick can Precast concrete be manufactured?
Turnaround times vary depending on several factors, this could be outdoor temperatures, ratio of cementitious elements, volume of the product curing control and the design slump.
Slump tests are very important when it comes to manufacturing concrete products, it ensures that the concrete is the optimum mix for any particular job. Having the correct moisture content in the mix is critical. It all comes together with the cement and aggregates plus additives to make the perfect design mix”.
What you should expect when purchasing Precast?
Manufacturers such as Mid West Concrete always strive to achieve best results, whether that be a smooth finish with no cracks and imperfections in our troughs or the way we interact with our customers.
– Our Troughs, Civil, Septic, Sewer, Drains, Pads and Panel products are made with 40MPa concrete as standard. We are always performing regular visual, physical and leakage tests on all our products to ensure we are reaching our target strengths and deliver on our promise to supply Strong and durable products.
Our focus is and will always be on how we can improve the way we do business.