Guniting
Waterproofing
Himani Bansal
Jayant Negi
Ritesh Kumar
Uday Pratap
What
is Guniting
Guniting is the most effective process of casting
concrete quickly and efficiently, it can be used to
repair work which has been damaged due to
inferior work or other reasons. It is also used for
providing an impervious layer.
The ‘Gunite’ or ‘Shotcrete’ is a mixture of cement
and sand, the usual proportion being 1:3.
Sometimes a special waterproofing compound is
added in the mixture to enhance its properties.
The impermeable layer is very effective in
preventing ingress of moisture when applied on
the positive side.
Where
is it used
Due to its quick and impenetrable nature it is
widely used in situations which deal with fluid
management. Although skilled, it requires very
little labour for relatively large areas. Since, It
can attain a very high compressive strength of
55-70 N/sqmm in 28 days. It finds it applications
in:
• Underground Fluid Tanks
• Basements
• Pools
• Dams
• Bridges
• Aqueducts
Why
is it used
• No Joints, No Cracks- Due to the concrete
applied through a spraying method, the
Gunite is complete, continuous contains no
joints, which is important to create a strong
shell.
• Flexibility of Shape- Spraying method of
construction is ideal for complex forms, as
the technique provides the flexibility to design
and structure.
• Economical-The Gunite method is faster and
more robust than the other conventional
methods, which helps to speed up the entire
construction process.
• Accessibility- It is also useful for working on
difficult access sites, as the operators require
only a 50mm diameter hose to reach the
working area, which can be up to 80 metres
away from the plant
• Reparability- Subsequent servicing if required
is easy and can be directly done and left
upon previous surface without protection
How
is it done
1) Ensuring a solid embankment around the
desired area, to ensure no slippage or loose
dirt.
2) The steel formwork is then placed along it
according to the design details. Steel is to be
free of any rust, dirt or grease. It can
sandblasted to ensure the same.
3) The concrete mixture is to be made
according to said proportions and the
pumping machine is to be filled with
appropriate solutions.
4) The solution is sprayed slowly layer by layer
over the formwork in a perpendicular
direction with the nozzle 800-1000mm away.
5) The proportion of water and chemical
additions is periodically checked and kept
under surveillance..
6) The slumping downing and accumulation of
the mixture at the bottom is called ‘The
Rebound’ and is to be removed
simultaneously.
7) The shotcrete is then left covered with
tarpaulin to cure.
How
does it work
The most common dry-mix process
conveys dry material from a
machine to surface of application
through a nozzle by means of
compressed pressure and high
velocity.
The application is facilitated by the
addition of water at the nozzle area.
The mix that finally comes out is a
combination of dry material and
water. The operator has the control
on the addition of water and the
combination water content.
Bibliography
• Five reasons why Gunite is luxury for
swimming pool builds (no date). Available at:
https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news
/view/five-reasons-why-gunite-is-luxury-for-
swimming-pool-builds (Accessed: 15
September 2020).
• Gunite - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
(no date). Available at:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engine
ering/gunite (Accessed: 15 September 2020).
• Hanskat, C., Aci, F. and Asce, F. (no date)
‘CONCRETE REPAIR BY SHOTCRETE’, p. 40.
• ‘What is Guniting? its 5 Uses, Procedure, and
Advantages’ (2020) Civil Click, 19 June.
Available at:
https://www.civilclick.com/guniting/
(Accessed: 15 September 2020).
• What is Guniting? Procedure, Applications and
Advantages of Guniting (2017) The
Constructor. Available at:
https://theconstructordotorg.wpcomstaging.
com/concrete/what-is-guniting-procedure-
uses/17702/ (Accessed: 15 September 2020).
