What Is Shotcrete?

Shotcrete is a concrete installation technology used for over 100 years. The technology combines concrete with high-pressure, high-volume air provided by a car-size air compressor. Utilizing the air to convey the concrete into place allows the concrete to be placed while still in a low slump or stiff condition, this allows the material to be stacked onto itself. The material can be stacked in a similar manner that concrete would fill up a concrete form. The material can also be installed in layers. This means that we can stack or layer up the concrete with a nozzle and only one supporting form or existing substrate. This stacking and layering can be achieved on a wall, floor or overhead. The compressed air conveys the concrete into place at about 90 MPH or 130 feet per second, this speed combined with a properly trained nozzlemen creates a velocity of the concrete. This velocity is high enough to penetrate existing concrete, creating a monolithic bond as the cement paste is driven into the microscopic pores of the existing concrete as well as properly wrap reinforcement steel, consolidate into place, and increase the strength of the material due to compaction.