[TowerTalk] The tower base is poured BUT...

[Jim White, K4OJ]

Very true, a uniform mix of the aggregate within the pout is the ideal, 
a long drop will result in the bigger chunks traveling deeper than the 
rest of the concrete mixture  - and as an aside to those of you who 
finish the top of your pour so it is pretty and XYL approved....

If you watch a mason trowel a surface after the concrete is poured you 
see him going back and forth over an area repeatedly.  Each time a pass 
is made the larger aggregate (rocks) go down a little lower into the 
pour and the remainder of the mixture (essentially the cement and sand) 
end up being on the top...

This creates an opportunity to "work" this top layer of the pour until 
it is smooth "as a baby's behind" since there are no "big chunks" to 
contend with...

Just an aside...

K4OJ



Red wrote:

> Hi, all;
> 
> David Robbins mentioned free-fall.  To add detail, free-fall and 
> excessive vibrating or stirring causes the aggregate to separate.  The 
> large pieces go to the bottom, the fines, including the cement, separate 
> and rise to the top.  The result is not  a homogeneous mixture of 
> aggregate and cement and its strength is not uniform.
> 
> Confer with a knowledgeable professional regarding the limits.
> 
> 73 de WOØW
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