GeneralQ What are the requirements for selection of the shotcrete lift height and delay between successive layers? ACI 506R describes only a general approach.
Although some have tried, there are not and should not be specific recommendations for lift height or time between lifts of layers. Shotcrete is a method of placing concrete, and concrete properties vary with many parameters, such as admixtures, ambient temperature, concrete temperature, slump, and age of concrete, to name a few. The lift height is also influenced by the surface on which you are shooting (rough, porous, smooth, dense, and so on); the orientation being applied (vertical, sloped, or overhead); and the size and density of the reinforcing steel, if it is present. Regardless of the period of time between lifts or layers, the receiving surface must be clean and moisture-conditioned to create a good bond between lifts or layers. As you can see, there are too many variables to spell out recommended guidelines or rules of thumb for lift heights or time between lifts or layers. The goal is to place the lifts or layers in heights or thicknesses that do not slough or sag. The time between lifts or layers is the time required for the initial lift or layer to support the subsequent lift of layer. These decisions must be made on the job on a daily and hourly basis by a properly trained and experienced nozzleman and shotcrete foreman. These decisions may vary during the day to meet the current situation. It is critical that the shotcrete is placed by a shotcrete contractor with trained and experienced crews who is experienced and successful in the type of work being installed.