Using Concrete Slump and Volume: Case Study of a Construction Site in Nigeria
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By *Oludolapo Ibrahim Olanrewaju2,3, Victor Nnannaya Okorie3 and Monday Omogiate Imafidon3
2Dollasoft Technologies, Lagos State, Nigeria
3University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author: oludolapoolanrewaju2012@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Ready mixed concrete is becoming common in the Nigeria construction industry as it reduces labour cost and other associated costs. This study was aimed at developing a model to predict ready mixed concrete on-site dispatch time using concrete slump and volume. Primary data was the only data source and it was obtained through site observation for two weeks. Thirty (30) ready mixed concrete transit trucks were studied. Hierarchical Multiple Linear Regression (HMLR) was employed for the analysis of data. The study revealed that concrete slump and volume have small impact on the dispatch time using concrete pump (R = 0.366; R2 = 0.134; F-model = 1.676 [with p > 0.05]). It was thus concluded that concrete slump and volume have small effect on the dispatch time on ready mixed concrete. Hence, research should be carried out to identify these critical factors to improve productivity. It was thus recommended that ready mixed concrete companies should ensure that; the value of slump is kept at the acceptable value on arrival of concrete to construction sites, transit mixer pass through the best route to avoid delay as a result of traffic, and carry out daily checks on their equipment to assess its suitability for work and avoid technical breakdown.
Keywords: Dispatch time, Concrete Slump, Productivity, and Construction industry
- INTRODUCTION
The construction industry is envisioned as the major driver of the economy with 5% increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, other sectors like health, education, transportation and the likes depend heavily on the construction industry (Olanrewaju, 2017). However, the construction industry can be fractioned into three crucial parts which are the building industry, heavy and civil engineering works and specialist contractors who engage in the services of carpentry, plumbing, electrician, tiling and painting (Sanusi, 2008; Olanrewaju, et al. 2018). El- Rufai (2011) contended that infrastructure is essential to human and economic development and is the catalyst for magnetizing investment, for which Nigeria has requisite potentials. The rapid rate of urbanisation in Nigeria requires the use of ready mixed concrete so as to enhance productivity.
Ready mixed concrete (RMC) is an essential construction material consumed in all components of a building from the inception to completion, and therefore utilised in enormous quantities. Biruk (2015) revealed that 60-70% of all contemporary built structures are made of this material. Owning to increasing requirement for quality in concrete mix design aimed at achieving a quality product, it is manufactured in a fully controlled environment with the help of specialised batching plant. The mix is then delivered to construction sites where they are required by ready mixed concrete trucks so as to maintain its qualities (Biruk, 2015). Ready mixed concrete in Nigeria is becoming a very competitive business in a well-developed market. Companies are in search of economies in terms of dispatching ready mixed concrete so as to maximise profit and utilise their facilities optimally. This study therefore seeks to predict the ready mixed concrete pump dispatch time using concrete volume and slump with the view of developing a mathematical model to aid management of ready mixed concrete pump dispatch time on construction sites.
- MAJOR PHASES OF READY MIXED CONCRETE PRODUCTION
According to Nellickal et al. (2015), the major phases of ready mixed concrete production can be divided into five phases. The phases include; Manufacturing of raw material, Transportation of raw materials, Operations at the RMC batching plant, Delivery of RMC using transit mixer trucks, and Construction operations at the site. This study focused on an integral part of “construction operations at the site” phase where ready mixed concrete is dispatched using concrete pump.
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How to cite this paper: Olanrewaju, O. I., Okorie, V. N., Imafidon, M. O. (2019). Estimating Ready Mixed Concrete On-site Dispatch Time Using Concrete Slump and Volume: Case Study of a Construction Site in Nigeria. PM World Journal, Vol. VIII, Issue III (April). Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/pmwj80-Apr2019-Olanrewaju-Okorie-Imafidon-predicting-ready-mixed-concrete.pdf
About the Authors
Oludolapo Ibrahim Olanrewaju
University of Benin Ugbowo, Edo State, Nigeria
Dollahills Research Consult, Lagos, Nigeria
Dollasoft Technologies, Lagos, Nigeria
Oludolapo Ibrahim Olanrewaju is a young multitalented Quantity surveyor, researcher and programmer. He attended Federal University of Technology, Minna where he studied Bachelor of Technology in Quantity surveying and graduated in 2017. He graduated with a First Class and emerged the best graduating student in department of Quantity surveying for 2017 set. Oludolapo has a strong passion for ICT and he has been involved in series of software projects like DOLLAQUESS (Quantity surveying software he designed), decision support systems, inventory manager and others. He works with Dollasoft Technologies as a Freelance Software Developer, Dollahills Research Consult as a Freelance Data analyst and Researcher, and he is currently observing his one-year mandatory National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) at Department of Quantity surveying, University of Benin, Edo State. His research interests are on environmental health, building information modelling, construction informatics, construction health and safety (H&S), construction management, construction emissions, green construction, etc. Oludolapo can be contacted on oludolapoolanrewaju2012@gmail.com, dollahills@gmail.com.
Dr. Victor Nnannaya Okorie
University of Benin Ugbowo, Edo State, Nigeria
Dr. Victor Nnannaya Okorie is a Senior Lecturer and currently serving as the Assistant Dean of Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Benin. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Construction Management from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa in 2014. His research interest is on construction health and safety (H&S) with focus on culture, behaviour and leadership in relation to construction health and safety performance. Dr Victor can be contacted on victor.okorie@uniben.edu, v.okorie@yahoo.com.
Monday Omogiate Imafidon
University of Benin Ugbowo, Edo State, Nigeria
Monday Omogiate Imafidon is a Technologist in the Department of Quantity Surveying, University of Benin. He holds a Higher National Diploma in Civil Engineering from Auchi Polytechnic. His research interest is on concrete technologies, construction health and safety (H&S) with focus on culture, behaviour and leadership in relation to construction health and safety performance. Mr. Monday can be contacted on reallymond@gmail.com.
