Producing fiber-reinforced concrete often presents challenges for concrete manufacturers—particularly in shotcrete production. While fiber-reinforced concrete is primarily used in specialized projects, its production requires factories to have appropriate equipment, including a reliable concrete mixer designed to handle fibrous mixtures. Below, we outline key considerations for producing high-quality fiber-reinforced concrete specifically for shotcrete applications.

Fibers are essential for reinforcing concrete, helping prevent cracking in hardened concrete and enhancing its fire resistance. The most commonly used fibers include steel, plastic, glass, and polypropylene. When incorporating these fibers, the concrete mixer plays a critical role in ensuring uniform distribution—poor mixing can lead to fiber clumping, which undermines structural integrity.

Concrete plants must prioritize the concrete mixer for fiber-reinforced shotcrete. Choose a mixer with specialized agitators to prevent fiber clumping. Maintain and calibrate it for uniform blending of fibers, cement, and additives. Sync mixer output with shotcrete machines to avoid segregation, ensuring consistent quality from mixing to application. The concrete mixer is key to reliable production.

High-quality fiber-reinforced shotcrete needs both proper raw materials/mixture design (consistent fibers, 8-10mm aggregates, low water-cement ratio, plus admixtures) and plant considerations. Plants must use specialized concrete mixers (to avoid fiber clumping), maintain them well, and sync mixer output with shotcrete machines—these ensure the mixture’s quality and performance.