The backend pipe system is a critical part of your boom system. This swing elbow, closest to the pump, experiences the highest pressures and pulsations — pressure spikes — during cylinder switchover. Each time the flow direction changes — particularly at 90-degree elbows and reducers — it creates a high-wear zone where the aggregate in the slurry causes impact wear and sliding abrasion against the inner wall of the component. The backend is also a location where many workers (drivers, inspectors and pump operators) are near these components under high pressure. Fortunately, it is also easily accessible and can be inspected regularly.
In the third installment of this technical series, we delve into the critical role of admixtures in concrete production and their direct impact on pumping pressures and overall performance. Admixtures, ranging from water reducers to viscosity modifiers, are essential in tailoring concrete properties to meet specific project demands.
The great Bob Dylan released a song in 1964 called, “The Times They Are A-Changin.” The lyrics were about the big political and social changes taking place in the world. Although this song was written more than 60 years ago, we can still sing that song and apply it to what is happening in the business world. Not only is the business world “a-changin,’” but the rate of these changes is accelerating. As Brooks Hatlen said in The Shawshank Redemption, “The world went and got itself in a great big hurry.”
Earlier this year, Risk Strategies released its 2025 report on insurance market conditions. While the report indicates specific areas like property insurance are stabilizing, casualty lines — including auto liability and umbrella policies — remain under pressure due to rising claims costs, nuclear verdicts and inflation.
The American Concrete Pumping Association is proud to present the 2025 recipients of the Bob Weatherton Scholarship: Dustin Cook, Jack Broccoli and Joshua Cordes. These students embody the leadership and spirit that is integral to the legacy of the late “Big Bob” Weatherton of The Concrete Pump Store in California. Bob served on the ACPA board of directors for more than 40 years and was one of the industry’s most avid champions.
The ACPA is dedicated to the education and promotion of concrete pump safety to the concrete pumping industry and for all those who come into contact with a concrete pump on a construction job. We're here to teach you how you, and others around you, can stay safer on the job.
Our instructors have over 50 years of combined concrete pumping experience.
The following Operator Safety Seminars are scheduled for 2025:
“There is no such thing as a free lunch, son.” My father said this to me when I was a young boy, as I’m sure many other fathers have said (or a variation thereof) to their children. If my father were alive today, I would counter that he did not know the concrete pumping industry, where we give away many things for free all the time! We give away so much stuff that we consider it normal and don’t think twice about it. In addition to giving away free stuff, we often take on risk and exposure that we shouldn’t. Is it any wonder that the concrete pumping industry is plagued by low margins and poor profitability? I will focus on three items that are often given away or discounted significantly on a regular basis.
An unfortunate truth is that incidents happen, especially in construction. Despite rigorous safety measures, job site hazards can lead to injuries and temporarily sideline valuable employees. While adopting best-in-class safety practices remains essential to minimize risk, what happens after an incident is equally critical. As employers, concrete pumping companies have a responsibility to anticipate hazards and develop controls to reduce claim frequency and severity.
In this article, we explore the technical and financial impacts of optimizing concrete mix design for pumpability in construction projects. We offer key insights, such as the importance of achieving an optimal aggregate gradation to minimize pump pressure, balancing paste volume within a well-graded granular skeleton, and managing risks like segregation and excessive concrete pump pressures. Proper mix design not only reduces issues like line clogging, but also ensures smoother operations, better efficiency and cost savings. By understanding and leveraging these strategies, concrete pumping professionals can achieve regulatory compliance, reduce project costs and enhance the durability of their work, solidifying their competitive edge in the industry. The graphic below offers a quick overview of paste content relative to pumping pressure and cost.
