A customer used EdenCrete® in the shotcrete for a new pond to improve the strength and ability of the mix to be pumped before carving large stone replications for a dramatic result.
Thorcon used EdenCrete® to improve both fresh and hardened properties, improving the rheology to make it easier to pump and shoot, and to improve the structural integrity of the mix by making a more durable hardened material.
A ranch owner in Colorado had an area of his property in need of remediation for slope stabilization before it could be used. To stabilize the hillside, the contractor could have excavated and used only shotcrete with a geofabric. Instead, the owner decided to install a large pond and the shotcrete would be carved into a replica of a large stone face. The shotcrete mix recommended for the project included fibers, making it difficult to pump, shoot, and carve.
Shotcrete Containing EdenCrete® at ¼ gal/yd3
Shortly after the project began, the nozzle operator commented on how well the material pumped through the lines and stacked. Soon after, the pump operator adjusted his pump pressure from ~3800 psi down to ~2400 psi, or ~100 Barr, and the mix began flowing even better. Shortly after initial set, the finishers began carving the stone wall replica. From the pictures, you can see the extensive level of detail required to replicate a stone wall. The mix must stack and adhere extremely well to maintain shape during the carving process. It is critical that the mix have a precise consistency that is soft enough to be carved, but strong enough to hold the shape undamaged through final set. In the end, the hardened shotcrete must have enough structural integrity to keep the crisp, fine edge-detail, from chipping or cracking.
The finished product is incredible. crew could not say enough about the creaminess of the shotcrete and how easily it finished. Reducing the pump pressure reduced dust and waste from rebound. They noted that the paste received the edge-detail very well.
The project involved 32 yards of shotcrete for the feature wall and another 125 yards to line the pond area.
