Why Volumetric Mixers Are Perfect For DOT Work

Millions of motorists and pedestrians depend on highways, streets, and all size and type of roadways every day. Any time these thoroughfares are inaccessible, whether due to a small repair or full-scale replacement, headaches and hassles generally ensue as DOT crews scramble to complete the concrete work on time and on budget.

Speed & Safety Are Tied Together

One way crews have worked around this issue is with fast setting concrete, especially during overnight projects. Nighttime is a popular timeslot for work as there’s generally less traffic passing by or through the work area, creating a safer environment for everyone involved.

Yet, timely repairs can be hard to come by for DOT crews, especially when short loads and access to concrete come into play. These factors exacerbate contingent timelines, all of which focus on safety to motorists, pedestrian, and workers.

So how can volumetric concrete mixers eliminate many common challenges to regular DOT projects?

Multiple Design Mixes For One DOT Project

Let’s start with design mixes. A traditional barrel mixer is limited to providing one pre-specified mix at a time. But a volumetric mixer can produce however many mixes that are necessary to complete the work with one unit. There aren’t any schedules to align or juggle but concrete to pour from your own mobile batch plant.

An example is work done on bridge decks. Many, especially in climates with snow and ice during the winter months, rely on latex modified concrete to hinder the freeze-thaw cycle. A volumetric mixer can produce the latex blend and regular concrete, saving time and money for separate units and scheduling.

Save On Equipment Without Sacrificing End Results

One mobile concrete mixer can handle any type of concrete powder, including fast setting which is commonly used in road projects. This does away with the longstanding need to bring in a different barrel truck specifically to pour a fast setting variety and a different truck for a mix using a different cement powder. Also, you have control over every ounce of concrete thanks to a proportioning system you set up. The pourable concrete meets pre-determined specifications, not a modified version that will do for the situation.

Fast & Efficient Repairs

Rarely does an entire roadway need to be replaced — it’s the routine, smaller repairs that snarl traffic even for a relatively short length of time. By having all necessary aggregates and design mixes already loaded into the mixer plus having a unit that can handle fast setting concrete powders your crew can start and finish a repair in significantly less time. Less traffic impediment means less safety risk to workers and less headache for motorists and pedestrians.