Benefits and Uses of PCC Concrete in Construction

Plain Cement Concrete is referred to as PCC. Cement, sand-like fine aggregate, and coarse aggregate are the three main components of PCC. It is also known as cement concrete or blinding concrete (CC). Concrete is poured on top of the soil’s surface before pouring the foundation to keep the reinforcing from coming into direct contact with the soil and water.

Concrete made with only cement, sand, and coarse aggregates devoid of steel is known as plain cement concrete. PCC, an essential building element, is positioned on the earth’s surface to prevent the reinforcing of the concrete from coming into direct touch with dirt and water.

Mixing of PCC Concrete

The process of producing concrete involves mixing a variety of ingredients, including water, aggregate, cement, and any additions. Concrete manufacturing must be completed quickly.

Concrete must be placed as soon as it is mixed to avoid hardening. A concrete plant, usually referred to as a batch plant, is a sizable industrial structure where the majority of concrete is manufactured in the modern world.

For varied projects, different concrete admixtures are required. If you want successful results, mix concrete according to the correct specifications for the use and application. To create concrete that is effective and of excellent quality, the three methods listed below are used.

1. Hand mixing of concrete (mixing concrete manually without a mixer machine)
2. Automatic mixing of concrete (mixing concrete with a mixer machine)
3. Ready-to-use concrete (mixing in an automatic or semi-automatic batching plant)

PCC can be blended using both mechanical and manual techniques:

Hand mixing of concrete (mixing concrete manually without a mixer machine)

• Hand-mixing for PCC is only permitted in small-scale projects.
• Either a steel platform or a spotlessly clean, watertight slab must serve as the foundation for the concrete mixing process.
• Following a thorough blending of sand and cement, coarse aggregate is added.
• Water is added last and thoroughly incorporated into the mixture to achieve a uniform colour and consistency.
• Water is then lastly added, and the mixture is thoroughly incorporated to achieve an even colour and consistency.

Automatic mixing of concrete (mixing concrete with a mixer machine)

• Concrete, dried coarse aggregate, and fine aggregate need to be poured into the appropriate containers in measured proportions.
• The dry components must be mixed for at least 4 consecutive rounds before adding water, which must be introduced gently while the mixing drum is still rotating.
• The entire amount of water for mixing must be introduced before 25% of the mixing period has expired in order to achieve the desired water-cement ratio.
• Thorough mixing is necessary to produce a plastic mixture with a stable colour.

Ingredients of PCC Concrete

The following is a list of the fundamental elements of plain cement concrete.

• Coarse Aggregates: The coarse aggregates used in PCC shouldn’t contain any foreign granite or substances that resemble stone, including hard grit, dirt, or other foreign components. The stone ballast will be 20 mm and smaller in size. To ensure that voids don’t exceed 42%, each piece of coarse material needs to be retained in a 5 mm square mesh and graded properly.
• Tiny Aggregates: The fine set must contain hard, sharp, angular grains of coarse sand and must pass through a mesh screen with a 5 mm square opening. Sand must be clear, meet minimum requirements, and be free of biological debris, dust, and filth. The use of sea sand will not occur.
• Concrete: Portland Pozzolana Cement is widely used to create plain cement concrete (PPC). It must be sufficiently fine, possess the required tensile and compressive stresses and conforms to the criteria.

• Water: The water will be nearly impure-free and crystal clear, free of plant growth, oil, chemicals, oxidising agents, minerals, and other contaminants. The pH of water should typically be at least 6.

Benefits of PCC Concrete

• To ensure the necessary cover-to-bottom reinforcement, cover blocks rest on a sturdy PCC.
• On PCC, reinforcement steel bars are never in contact with the ground soil, which could be chemically active and perhaps quickly lead to steel corrosion. Steel cage installation will be simpler and output will go up.
• Although PCC acts as a soil barrier and adheres effectively to structural-grade concrete that has been overlaid, concrete does not adhere to the ground soil.
• PCC Concrete is easy to install in a steel cage for the footing of the foundation, increasing workplace productivity.

• PCC Concrete acts as a barrier alongside the concrete soil of the footing to allow the footing concrete to adhere to the reinforcement and develop sufficient strength.
• PCC Concrete offers a finishing surface to cover the reinforcing of the footing.
• PCC concrete serves as a foundation for the formwork, making it possible to quickly, evenly and firmly fasten the footing formwork.

Uses of PCC Construction: 

• Concrete has been used for many awesome things throughout history, such as the construction of buildings and other infrastructure.
• Despite this, concrete is still frequently used in construction today. It is widely employed to construct column foundations, massive gravity dams, and floors.
•  It is used to build rigid pavement (reinforcement-less rigid pavement).
•  The construction of small-scale canals makes use of PCC.
• A few stone masonry projects make use of it as well.
• PCC concrete is used to create a solid, level, and hard surface on the window and ventilator surfaces.
• Pavements, basketball courts, tennis courts, and other facilities are constructed using it.
• The necessary cover for the lower reinforcement is ensured because the cover blocks rest on a solid PCC.
•  Concrete does not bond with the soil of the earth, despite PCC acting as a soil barrier and being attached to structural grade concrete that has been entirely overplayed.

What should be done using PCC Concrete:

•  The thickness and dimension of the shuttering utilised in PCC projects must be exact.
• A specified amount of water must be added to a bucket of cement in accordance with the w/c (water/cement) ratio.
• Use more workers to pour concrete when it is deeper.
• Avoid soil or other materials from collapsing inside the pit as the concrete is being poured by removing any loose material from the sidewalls of the pit.
• De-watering should be done before PCC work when the water table is high.

What should be avoided using PCC Concrete:

• Never combine the parts on unprotected ground.
• PCC shouldn’t be performed without the use of forms.
• Before pouring, the concrete surface needs to be levelled and crushed.
• The maximum height from which concrete should be poured into the pit is 1.5 metres.
• For a smooth finish, avoid pouring more cement mortar on top of PCC.