Notes on Concrete Boom Truck Operation

Concrete machines have become an irreplaceable part in modern building activities. Reasonable operation of these machines will not only guarantee smooth going of construction but also efficiently extend the machines’ service life. Here we discuss notes on operation of a concrete boom truck. Generally you should pay attention to outrigger supporting, boom placing, air pressure and pipe flushing.

1. During the pumping of concrete, the bottom of the outriggers of a truck mounted concrete pump should be placed on wood or steel plate pads that ensure stability of the outriggers. The safe distance between the boom truck and the unarmed foundation pit should be 1cm deep. When the boom truck is extended, the minimum safe distance between its end and the high-voltage cable should be no less than 8m.

2. When the pump brace is used to extend the distribution bar laterally, the stability check should be performed so that the overturning moment is less than the anti-overturning moment. It’s forbidden to use the brace as a lifter.

3. During the pumping of concrete by a concrete boom truck, the end outlet of the hose and the pouring surface should be kept at a certain distance to prevent the hose from being buried into the concrete, which would lead to sudden increase of the instantaneous pressure inside the pipe and then sudden explosion of the pipe.

4. Operators should avoid having a truck mounted concrete pump working under high pressure frequently. When the pump is started again, it is necessary to check whether the gauge pressure is normal to prevent pipe blockage and bursting.

5. Before a pipe joint is removed, the back pumping should be carried out several times to remove the concrete pressure inside the pipe to prevent concrete from injection.

6. The pipe end should be equipped with a safety baffle during pipe cleaning process, and no standing in front of the pipe, because concrete may inject from the pipe and injury people in the front.

7. The pipe of a truck mounted concrete pump in a ready mix concrete plant can be flushed with pressurized water or air supplied with air, but the two should not be used at the same time. Water washing can be changed to air washing in the middle, but it is strictly forbidden to exchange air washing into water washing. In the flushing of the end 10m of the pipe, the pump pressure or compressor pressure should be slowly decompressed to prevent large explosions from injuring people. Do not use compressed air to clean the boom.