Transit mixer is a piece of equipment that is used for transporting concrete/ mortar or ready mix material from a concrete batching plant directly to the site where it is to be utilized. Transit mixer is loaded with dry material and water. The interior of the transit drum is fitted with a spiral blade. Spiral blade is able to move in two directions. During clockwise movement drum is charged with concrete and in counterclockwise direction concrete discharge out from the transit drum. Concrete mixing drum ensures the liquid state of materials through rotation of the drum about its own axis.

Charging of transit mixer
Parts Of Transit Mixer

Transit mixer is utilized for many projects. For example: it delivers concrete for construction of airports, multistory building, dams, highways, bridges, factories etc. It has various parts named as hopper, discharge chute, rotating mixing drum and a water tank. Hopper is that part through which transit mixer is charged with concrete. Water tank with transit mixer is for washing of concrete mixing drum so that no concrete left with the internal walls.

Parts Of Transit Mixer

Discharge chute is utilized during discharging of concrete from the mixer. It ensures the same quality of concrete as it was at the mixer. Chute guides the concrete directly to the job site. Sometimes it happens when pouring site is not close enough to the truck, then in such cases concrete is discharged the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt is about 8-10 meters long that came along with the modern transit mixer. If it is not enough, then concrete is poured into a temporarily made concrete box. From here concrete is pumped to site with the help of the concrete pump. This mostly happens during multistory building construction.

Attached Conveyor belt with transit mixer

If concrete drops from a height of above one meter without discharge chute then concrete strength drops because of breaking of internal bonds and this also affects the workability of concrete. Concrete mixer must be at the site within 90 minutes after charging. This is because concrete final setting starts which affect the workability as well as strength. If the truck is not on the site within defined time limits, then concrete hardens in the truck and now for breakup workers need to blast barrels.
Discharging Of Concrete

During delivering of concrete the driver must ensure that the material is discharged at the requested location. After that wash the concrete drum, discharge chute and stow it safely on the vehicle. Sometimes it happens, when concrete is more than the customer requirement. In such cases contact back to the supervisor before returning back the remaining concrete.