The truck chassis provides power and mobility, while the mixing drum is responsible for holding and mixing the concrete. Depending on the project requirements, concrete mixer trucks are available in different drum capacities, such as 4m³, 6m³, 8m³, 10m³, 12m³ and 14m³.
1. Loading Concrete
At the concrete batching plant, ready-mixed concrete is poured into the mixing drum through the feeding hopper at the rear of the truck.
During loading, the mixing drum rotates at a certain speed. The internal spiral blades guide the concrete into the drum and help distribute the material evenly. This process ensures that cement, sand, stone and water remain properly mixed before transportation.
The loading speed and drum rotation speed should be controlled properly to avoid overflow and uneven mixing.
2. Mixing and Transportation
After loading, the concrete mixer truck leaves the batching plant and transports the concrete to the construction site.
During transportation, the drum continues to rotate slowly. This is called “agitation.” The purpose is not to fully mix the concrete again, but to keep it moving and prevent the materials from separating.
If the drum stops rotating for a long time, the concrete may begin to settle, segregate or harden inside the drum. This can affect concrete quality and may even damage the mixer truck.
For long-distance transportation, the driver should control the drum speed carefully and pay attention to the delivery time. In hot weather or long-distance projects, concrete retarders may be used according to the project requirements.
3. Discharging Concrete
When the truck arrives at the construction site, the operator changes the drum rotation direction.
The spiral blades inside the drum push the concrete toward the discharge outlet. The concrete then flows through the discharge chute and is delivered to the required position, such as a concrete pump, foundation pit, road surface or formwork area.
The discharge speed can be controlled by adjusting the drum rotation speed. A stable discharge process helps improve construction efficiency and reduce waste.
