Technological Tools of the Trade

The Construction industry is constantly evolving. At one time, grout and mortar delivery was a manual process. Workers transported 70-pound buckets filled with material to masons. These bucket brigades lead to injuries, increased business costs, and decreased profits. But then technology and innovation came to save the day.  

Modernizing manual processes

It was not long before gravity feed systems replaced manual transport of grout, concrete, and mortar. When technology advances, the construction industry benefits. Automated delivery systems of materials powered by gas, diesel, or electricity have transformed construction sites. 

By designing a hopper that leverages gravity, masons can easily and efficiently fill grout and mortar into masonry walls. Grout delivery systems that pump grout and other masonry materials use a gas motor that is powered on and off using either an electric ignition switch or recoil. An auger operates along with the hopper and a flexible material chute that is placed above and around the work area to distribute material. 

Delivery systems like the Grout Hog and Grout Hog Uphill are examples of material delivery systems. While similar in specifications, the Grout Hog Uphill offers 20 inches of more reach than the Grout Hog. The Uphill also features a discharge height of two feet to three feet, allowing workers to reach up under bar joists. When grouting a wall, workers do not have to raise the telehandler as high. 

While both delivery systems swivel at their bases, the Grout Hog Uphill rotates an additional five degrees over the Grout Hog. This allows the Uphill to reach 17 feet of wall without moving the telehandler. Both systems are powered by Honda motors that turn on with an ignition switch or recoil. Cleanup takes less than 15 minutes. 

Another delivery system is the PA1000 Power Auger System by Spec Mix. This system holds up to 3,000 pounds of pre-blended product, including coarse grout. Its footprint is the size of a pallet and comes with heavy duty skid steers. This makes it, and similar systems, ideal for small spaces where a mixer station is needed but little space is available. 

This mobile solution delivers pre-blended mortar, grout, concrete, shotcrete, or stucco quickly into job site mixing equipment close to work zones. Another Spec Mix product is the D2W Workhorse, a continuous mixing system powered by a 120V circuit. This lightweight, portable unit can be used anywhere there is a power outlet and water source. The high-speed mixing action hydrates pre-blended materials. Water is metered directly into the system to allow a consistent water to cement ratio. 

Blastcrete has come out with Mason Mate, a D3522 hydraulic squeeze pump and high-shear continuous mixer. Powered by a 29 HP Kubota water-cooled diesel engine or 38 HP Kohler gas engine, this system is engineered for larger construction projects. The system is designed to reduce dust and increase material placement time. It can also fit inside a freight elevator or be placed using a telescoping forklift or crane. Using systems such as these can save labor by 75 percent.  

Automating manual processes eliminates the need to lift and carry loads while reducing the amount of labor necessary overall. Only two workers are required to operate delivery systems for grout, mortar, and concrete. 

Operating the forklift or crane that lifts the hopper can be done by one worker. Another worker guides the hose to fill the masonry wall. To expedite matters, additional delivery systems should be used across the site. 

Manual problems

Construction is already taxing on the body. But repetitive motions, lifting and lowering, carrying heavy loads, and twisting the body and wrists in awkward ways worsens tension of muscles and joints. The extra effort can drain what little strength workers have less throughout the day and cause long-term damage. 

To be more specific, when parts of the body like the spine, wrists, arms, shoulders rotate in unnatural ways or repeatedly, workers encounter lower back disorders. A herniated disc, or slipped disc, occurs when the disc material in the back presses against the spinal cord. This pressure on the spine affects the nerves that travel down the legs. 

For anyone who has had a slipped disc or thrown their back out, this can be severely painful. The time to recover and return to work can be long and unproductive for both employee and employer. 

Managing and preventing injuries and hazards makes more sense to everyone involved in a project before this happens instead of after.  

The future of masonry material

Self-consolidating concrete or self-compacting concrete (SCC) offers a number of advantages and its use in construction is becoming more prevalent. This very fluid, non-segregating concrete spreads into position with a slump flow of 20 to 30 inches. It readily fills formwork, complex shapes, inaccessible areas, and encapsulates reinforcement with no mechanical consolidation. 

SCC was developed in the 1980s by Japanese researchers to resolve challenges with the durability of concrete in areas of thin and complex walls with dense rebar placements. In Scandinavia, SCC was adopted early to meet the availability of pozzolans and fine limestone powder. 

One advantage of SCC is its tendency to eliminate mechanical vibration, which reduces noise. This can be particularly important in urban areas where noise is normal. Because SCC requires minimal labor to place and finish it, safety of the worksite is improved, capital and maintenance costs are reduced because there is no longer a need for vibration equipment and formwork. 

The flow rate of SCC reduces finishing requirements so less sack work and remedial work is necessary. It’s easy to create smooth finishes and rigid textures. Intricate molds can further enhance the designs of SCC, which is not possible with traditional concrete. Pumping SCC is easier because of its higher slump and flowability, especially at significant heights. 

Technology has improved and modernized masonry in so many ways. When contractors invest in machinery that automates manual processes, employees benefit in a number of ways. Operational costs and budgets also benefit. Contractors can save time and focus on other areas of the business.