Why is wet concrete ideal for construction in comparison to dry concrete?

Repair and retrofitting of existing structures have become a major part of the construction activity in large parts of India wherein structures are damaged by environmental effects which include corrosion of steel, variations in temperature, freeze-thaw cycles and exposure to UV radiation. There are various methods for repairing and retrofitting a structure, which includes Polymer Modified Mortar, carbon-fibre wrapping and the most common method being jacketing with micro-concrete.

What is micro-concrete?

Micro-concrete (MC) is a blend of suitably graded sand, cement, polymers and water to be used in specific repair & reinforcing applications where restricted movement makes the placement of conventional concrete difficult. Micro-concrete is available in two variants – Dry Micro-Concrete and Wet Micro-Concrete.

What is dry micro-concrete?

Dry micro-concrete is a ready-to-use dry powder which requires only addition of clean water in the specified quantity at the site to make it suitable for construction application. This is a cementitious material with additives which impart controlled expansions characteristics in the plastic state.

What is wet micro-concrete?

InstaMix Microne is a one-of-a-kind, free-flowing, non-shrink, high-strength pre-mix wet micro-concrete produced in Nuvoco’s ready mix concrete plants and supplied in 35 kg HDPE bags. InstaMix Microne is blended with microfibres and a special admixture that provides a perfect bond with the host concrete for a strong and durable structure. One of the major reasons to choose InstaMix Microne is that since it is a non-shrink product, it guarantees excellent plastic and hardening properties. Also, there is no need to add water and aggregates at the construction site, thereby saving additional labour cost and requirement of clean water. Being a free-flowing mix, it can be used to fill all kinds of difficult areas and boasts of 30% to 40% more chloride resistance, which makes it ideal for all kinds of aggressive environments. All you have to do is pick the InstaMix Microne bag and pour the concrete at the desired location.

Microne is available in grades M30, M40, M50, M60, M70 and M80, it can be pre-mixed with 10mmD coarse aggregates as per site requirements.

InstaMix Microne is best-suited for:

• All types of residential, commercial and industrial buildings
• Infrastructure projects like bridges, metro railways, airports, cement and power plants
• It can also be used for various construction applications like bolt grouting, RC floor repairs, column jacketing, Mivan cutout, post-tensioned concrete, base plate grouting, floor topping and core pipe filling

Factors that prove wet micro-concrete is ideal compared to dry micro-concrete:

Job Site Effort

Dry Micro-concrete: Requires accurate W/P with proper blending

Wet Micro-concrete: Requires minimal site effort as it is pre-mixed

Wastage

Dry Micro-concrete: Plenty of wastage of material during mixing and pouring

Wet Micro-concrete: No site mixing & storage, therefore, no wastage

Productivity

Dry Micro-concrete: It requires more mixing time, therefore, has low productivity

Wet Micro-concrete: High-productivity. 100 kgs can be poured in 2 minutes

Labour Requirement

Dry Micro-concrete: High labour cost. Requires 4-5 labourers for mixing, shifting and pouring

Wet Micro-concrete: Low labour cost. Requires 3-4 labourers for shifting and pouring

Durability

Dry Micro-concrete: Chances of honeycombing and voids are higher.

Wet Micro-concrete: Since this concrete is produced in a controlled environment, the quality is consistent with no chance of honeycombs and voids