The week we poured a 400 yard slab in 100 degree heat and the pump truck broke down at 7 AM.

We had to move the mud with wheelbarrows for three hours while waiting on a backup pump, and I've never been more thankful for a good crew and a case of cold Gatorade... what's the worst equipment failure you've had to work through on a big pour?

2 comments

2 Comments

haydensanchez12d ago

That 400 yard slab is a big one, but I have to point out that a standard concrete truck only holds about 10 yards. So 400 yards would be forty full trucks, which is a massive pour for a single day, especially starting after a breakdown. Maybe it was 40 yards? Either way, moving any amount by wheelbarrow in that heat is brutal. My worst was a boom pump hose bursting on a foundation pour, coating the rebar cage and half the crew in mud. We lost a whole truck load before we could shut it down.

amy_reed7912d ago

Yeah a hose burst is a special kind of mess, lol. We learned to always keep a spare hose and clamps on site after something similar. The real killer is when the mixer truck itself dies and blocks the only access. Had one throw a rod, and we had to tow it out with a dozer while the mud was setting up in the drum. That was a long, expensive day.