Shotcrete is a method for placing concrete. Thus, the concrete placed by the shotcrete method has the same physical properties as cast concrete with the same mixture proportions. Either working stress or ultimate strength methods used for concrete design are applicable. Local building codes may require a particular design approach.
We have a two-story shotcrete wall enclosing an indoor community pool. We are specifying a board-form finish for the interior and the exterior will have a parge finish coat. Are there any issues with the consistent moisture from the pool that should be addressed in the concrete mixture or topical sealant? How should we deal with the exterior versus interior finishes in regards to water intrusion protection and allowing the green concrete to “dry out” over time?
Shotcrete is a method of placing concrete and the characteristics of shotcrete are those of cast concrete. Although the enclosed swimming pool will increase the interior humidity, the high humidity should have no detrimental effects on the exposed shotcrete, and may even be beneficial in reducing long-term drying shrinkage of the wall.
Both cast-in-place and shotcreted concrete are commonly used for construction of water tanks with constant exposure to water under significant hydraulic pressure. Using good construction techniques with good-quality concrete to build the tank’s walls produces walls with no moisture evident on the exterior face of the tanks. Simply having a high-humidity atmosphere is a much less severe exposure and should not result in interior air moisture being transmitted into and through the shotcrete wall. Any coatings considered for aesthetics should follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for drying time of concrete before application. If there is a concern about the permeability of the shotcrete wall, a premium shotcrete mixture including silica fume might prevent some issues on this application.
I need to specify a shotcrete cover to some structural steel in a coal dump hopper. The idea is to provide abrasion and impact protection to the steel beams. However, the client cannot afford to have the hopper out of service for an extended period. Is there a “high-early-” strength option for shotcrete as there is for cast-in-place concrete?
There are prepackaged materials commercially available for impact and abrasion resistance. Please contact material suppliers from “ASA’s Buyers Guide” for product information: shotcrete.org/Buyers Guide.
We have a unique situation where we need to apply shotcrete around a steel plate that is surrounding a beam supporting a floor. Can you provide any UL listings for applying shotcrete to a steel beam, column, or plate?
UL designs are typically for the hourly fire proofing ratings on structural steel members such as I-beams, wide flange beams, and vessel skirts. The beams and columns are tested for specific fireproofing products, beam sizes, and configurations. The thickness of the steel and other considerations factor in the evaluation; therefore, there is no blanket UL design number that you can use for steel plate. You can get guidance on the cover needed for different fire ratings in ACI 216.1-97/TMS 0216.1-97, “Standard Method for Determining Fire Resistance of Concrete and Masonry, Construction Assemblies.”
Remember that shotcrete is a process for applying concrete. You may also consider looking for a similar concrete UL design and submit it for consideration. Applying the shotcrete at a greater thickness to compensate for any variances should be proposed and presented to engineer or the owner for consideration.
I’m planning to add 6 in. (152 mm) of shotcrete to an existing 12 in. (305 mm) wall of a below-surface concrete tank to accommodate the removal of an existing middle support slab. The soil grade is approximately near the top of the existing tank wall. I’ve been told that since the existing wall is preloaded with soil, adding shotcrete will not increase the strength of the thickened wall and that the only way the wall will act as a whole (based on 18 in. [457 mm] thickness) is if the retained soil load is removed, then the shotcrete is added, and then soil is put back in place. Is this assessment accurate? Is there a way make this wall work as 18 in. (457 mm) without removing the existing soil?
Stress distribution from external loads through the tank wall with the shotcrete lining will depend on the geometry of the tank and the structural function of sections to be removed. A professional engineer experienced in shotcrete and concrete tank design should be consulted to ascertain the structural capacity of the completed wall. It would certainly be important to create a good bond plane by roughening the surface and removing any loose or fractured materials and using sufficient drilled dowels to make the existing 12 in. (305 mm) wall and new 6 in. (152 mm) overlay work well together. Also, it might help to specify the use of a shrinkage reducing admixture.
Is shotcrete a viable option to encase galvanized steel beams at a coal unloading facility to protect them from impact and abrasion? Will the galvanizing on the steel inhibit bonding?
Yes, shotcrete would be suitable for this application. A well-installed shotcrete lining will be durable and protect the steel from impact, abrasion, and from the acid attack that occurs from sulfur in the coal. Shotcrete is used to cover both the steel hopper walls and to encase the steel beams. Calcium aluminate cement is typically recommended for coal bunkers because of the mild acid condition that occurs that can attack the steel. Whether or not the steel beams are galvanized or not is irrelevant because the shotcrete will not bond well enough to any steel surface without welded studs and mesh to hold it in place. The beams will need to have studs welded and mesh installed around the beams for the shotcrete placement. With galvanized steel it is often necessary to grind off a spot of the galvanized coating at the spot of each stud weld location to properly weld the studs.
We plan to use fiber-reinforced (polypropylene fibers) shotcrete as a brown coat for stucco (three-coat stucco) over a concrete shear wall. Does a maximum thickness of 1.5 in. (38 mm) of shotcrete require any mechanical anchor/connection, or is the bonding strength of the shotcrete layer to the concrete shear wall substrate sufficient?
The addition of fiber will not increase the bond of shotcrete to the concrete shear wall. A 1.5 in. (38 mm) thick layer of properly designed and applied shotcrete should have adequate bond to a properly prepared concrete substrate without additional mechanical anchors. However, exposure conditions, geometry of the wall, shrinkage potential of the shotcrete mixture, application technique, and curing—as well as the age and quality of the shear wall concrete substrate—may affect the bond. These factors should be considered by an engineer experienced with shotcrete overlays in deciding whether additional anchoring is advisable.
We are building 6 and 8 in. (150 and 200 mm) thick cast-in-place concrete retaining walls with No. 4 (No. 13M) reinforcing bar at 18 in. (450 mm) on center each way. We would like to change to shotcrete as an alternate method of construction. Does the reinforcing bar design have to change for shotcrete application?
Shotcrete would be a great substitute for the retaining wall. Design-wise, the shotcrete is equivalent to concrete because shotcrete is really just a way of placing concrete.
The No. 4 (No. 13M) at 18 in. (450 mm) on-center spacing is not a problem. A No. 4 (No. 13M) bar can be easily encased by a qualified, experienced nozzlemen using either wet- or dry-mix shotcrete. In longer walls, or anywhere where reinforcing bars are lap spliced, the lap splice bars should be spaced apart. ACI 506R-05, “Guide to Shotcrete,” Section 5.4, provides some good guidance on optimizing reinforcing bar layouts for shotcreting. On the issue of lap splices, it says: “If the design allows, direct contact of the reinforcing splices should be avoided. Non-contact lapped bars should have a minimum spacing of at least three times the diameter of the largest bar at the splice.”
Thus, with No. 4 (No. 13M) bars in a lap splice, you should have the reinforcing bars spaced 1.5 in. (38 mm) apart at the splice to allow the shotcrete material to flow around the bar during shooting.
Chapter 8 of ACI 506R-05, “Guide to Shotcrete,” also provides a lot of guidance on proper shooting techniques for a variety of applications, including walls.
Is shotcrete used as a canal liner?
Shotcrete has been used for canal lining throughout the United States. The Bureau of Reclamation published a study on Canal Lining Test Sections constructed in the Bend, OR, area and studies the durability at 5 and 10 years. Shotcrete is a very viable means of placing canal linings. Basically, shotcrete is a method of placing concrete. Care should be taken to ensure that the mixture is designed to withstand the local environmental conditions, such as using air-entraining admixtures to ensure durability due to exposure to freezing and thawing. ACI 506R-05, “Guide to Shotcrete,” contains a lot of useful information in evaluating and using shotcrete in a variety of applications, including canal linings. If liquid-tightness and long-term durability of the canal lining are important, provisions of ACI 350/350R-06, “Code Requirements for Environmental Engineering Concrete Structures and Commentary,” should also be considered in the design of canal lining reinforcement, cover, and joints.
We are constructing a new custom residence on the Gulf Coast of Texas using a Monolite insulated concrete form (ICF) system. The ICF system is basically a “sandwich” system with an expanded polystyrene (EPS) panel with a wire cage and shotcrete on both sides. Because of the storm surge and high humidity of the region, we are looking for a mixture formula for a waterproof shotcrete for the exterior coating to help prevent moisture migration to the interior. What can you suggest?
The insulation itself should provide a vapor barrier. Various additives can be used with the shotcrete to improve its permeable properties, such as silica fume or a commercial waterproofing additive. It is also not uncommon to use a plaster coat over the shotcrete to provide improved water resistance and an architectural finish. The density and uniformity of the shotcrete can be influenced by the competency of the shotcrete applicator. It is always advisable to engage a competent and experienced shotcrete contractor to ensure the best possible results. You can search for a contractor with certified shotcrete nozzlemen from our Buyers Guide at shotcrete.org/products-services-information/buyers-guide/ or submit a bid request through our Online Bid Submittal Tool at www.shotcreteweb.wpengine.com/pages/secured/ProjectBidRequest.aspx.