I talked to a RM plant yesterday in Duluth about line pumping mixes.

They said they use an additive called VMA that increases the pump ability and creaminess workability of concrete. Makes the concrete slipperier .

Sounds good anyone familiar with this product?

Brian

I have seen it used a couple of times for back filling some abandoned pipes with flowable fill.  Seemed to control the segregation well at 600' through small diameter pipe.  Had no issues.

problems with the mixes is the sand is too clean. the vma acts as binder but with my grout pump it does not improve the mix to make it pumpable for me. been doing one and a third sack fly ash has been working. another plant has only duraslag that i will add back to mix when i lost the fine blend sand that was an outside source to see if i can pump the half inch rock. 

It worked well for what we were doing, namely flowable fill.  This application is where most plants seem to dump their bad sand.  It allowed us to maintain the binding with little cement or water to avoid shrinkage.  Never tried it in any other application.

The concrete companies around me have been using it I have had it added to loads that are not going through the line and there have been times it is enough to get it to go.