Mine test for fast-setting concrete 20 July 2015

Fast-setting shotcrete manufactured by Natural Cement Distribution (NCD) is successfully field tested in the Aberpergwm mine in South Wales, UK.

Owner Water Energy tasked NCD with coming up with a solution to tackle the problem of water dripping through the roof of the drift and on to the new man rider belt. The drift is supported using steel TH ribs with corrugated metal sheets placed behind.

The water ingress was occurring between the metal sheets and around the steel ribs, and in many places was substantial. Following a thorough inspection of the problem by SES and NCD it was decided that the best course of action would be the application of Natural Cement’s fast-setting spray-applied product, Shotcrete 530.

For those areas where water ingress was penetrating at an excessive rate it was decided that NCD’s newly developed Shotcrete AS90 – a product that sets in just 90 seconds – would be required. Like all the NCD products it is based on being natural cement and due to its formulation it has exceedingly fast-setting capabilities. Setting starts within just 60 seconds of application, with a total set being achieved in 80 seconds.

By applying a 20mm thick layer the dripping was found to stop.