Pumping of Fresh Concrete: Insights and Challenges

Pumping of fresh concrete is of utmost importance for concrete practice. Required pumping pressures are typically estimated based on design charts. However, with the increased use of chemical admixtures and the development of more flowable concrete mixtures, the accuracy of traditional design charts is questioned. In recent years, significant progress has been obtained in understanding the flow of the material in the pumping pipe, including the behavior of the lubrication layer near the pipe surface. In comparison with traditional design charts, this results in more reliable pressure predictions when considering very fluid concrete types like self-consolidating concrete. Some remaining challenges can be defined however.