Inspect Concrete Batch Plants to Ensure Safe Working Conditions and Avoid Downtime
The structural foundation designs of Concrete Batch Plants play a critical role in concrete batch plant operations. A batch plant is typically an operation where aggregates, concrete materials, chemical admixtures, and water are metered and combined to produce cement concrete.
As with any structure, it is important to maintain your investment and ensure adequate supervision and maintenance is performed. By performing periodic walkthroughs around the structure and observing components, you will ensure the operation is in good working order, and most importantly, workers are in safe conditions.
Concrete batch plants do not have an infinite life expectancy. For traditional concrete batch plants, substantial, reinforced concrete is needed for the foundation, especially for the cement silo and mixing tower. As batch plants get older and are in heavy use, components can begin to break down. Foundations of the structure are good indicators of how settling may occur over time, in the short and long-term, after assembly. Plants have different types of foundations, such as piers, which may settle, causing distress of the structure, while other plants have mat foundations. Operators or inspectors should look for large spiderweb cracking throughout the concrete, sometimes concentrated around piers, which could indicate where the settlement is occurring. It is important to observe structure members and components above the foundation as well. As fixed members typically are not susceptible to movements, they usually indicate where distress conditions may be present.
Westward Environmental, Inc. offers structural assessments of plants. It is advisable for companies to perform these assessments ahead of time to catch issues before they arise to avoid costly repairs and downtime. By identifying issues before failure, many plants may stay in operation with minimal interruption. Keep your investment in its best working condition by conducting routine assessments by professionals in the field.
