Shotcreting with Cement–Sand Mixtures Under the Influence of an Electrostatic Field

One of the primary and still unresolved problems of shotcreting is the high rebound rate of the material, which reaches over 20% in “dry” shotcreting. There is a practical need to improve the very principle of shotcreting and methods for optimizing the movement of torch particles. Materials and Methods: The purpose of this study was to justify the use of the electrostatic treatment of cement–sand mortar in the process of performing shotcreting works using the dry method. It was proposed that the binder and then the finished mixture be ionized step-by-step (by passing it through a non-uniform electrostatic field formed by corona electrodes). As a result, the shotcrete will be held on the fence. Results: Analysis of the modeling results shows that the presence of an electrostatic field slows down the particle and reduces the kinetic energy of the rebound. After theoretical calculations, experiments were conducted, during which, the torch size and the plant productivity were changed, and the rebound mass was weighed. After application to the surface, prototypes were formed and subjected to strength tests. It was determined that gunning in a sharply non-uniform electric field demonstrates its practical and economic efficiency due to the uniform deposition of charged particles on the treated surface and low power consumption. Conclusions: It was established that the electrostatic treatment of a cement–sand mixture during application allows concrete particles to be retained on the shotcrete surface, the rebound of the material to be reduced and the strength of concrete to be increased.

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