Identification of Suitable Ready Mix Concrete Suppliers Using Geographic Information System

Author(s): Nivedha P, Athira G, Bahurudeen A and Prasanta K S
Paper category: Proceedings
Book title: Proceedings of the 71st RILEM Annual Week & ICACMS 2017,Chennai,India, 3rd -8th September 2017
Editor(s): Manu Santhanam
Ravindra Gettu
Radhakrishna G. Pillai
Sunitha K. Nayar
ISBN: 978-2-35158-196-4
ISBN: 978-2-35158-190-2 (Set)
e-ISBN: 978-2-35158-191-9:
Publisher: Published by RILEM Publications S.A.R.L.
Publication year: 2017
Pages: 700-707
Total Pages: 8
Language : English

Abstract: Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) is extensively used in the construction sites as it speeds up the
construction process without any compromise in quality of concrete. Usage of chemical
admixtures and high cementitious content including supplementary cementing materials are
common in modern concrete and results in considerable control on setting time and
workability of concrete. In addition to characteristics of mix ingredients, traffic conditions
with varying characteristics (flow, dense, and congested) during the day may influence the
quality of concrete as it indirectly controls the time of delivery. Although extensive research
has been conducted to observe the influence of mix ingredients on the quality of ready mix
concrete, effect of traffic flow situation on quality of concrete is not available in the existing
literature. When a contractor obtains concrete from RMC plants for the construction of a
concrete structure, sometimes the timely delivery of the concrete mix at the construction site
is severely affected due to uncertainty in traffic conditions. The delay in arrival of concrete
from the supplier can lead to the formation of poor construction joints, adversely affecting the
quality of the construction. Therefore, the travel time becomes critical along a route on which
the ready mix truck travels than the distance that route covers to deliver the concrete mix.
The travel time does not necessarily increase with the distance of the plant from the site;
however, it is extremely dependent on the traffic on that route at that particular time. When
there are number of suppliers at viable locations, the selection of any supplier depends on
traffic at that point of time. This study deals with the identification and selection of suitable
suppliers based on the travel time by integrating geographic information system (GIS) and
traffic flow concept. Six RMC suppliers with similar distance from a construction site were
considered in the study. Network analysis using GIS with real traffic data was performed to
identify supply time of concrete to the site at a particular period. In the same way, network
analysis was performed for different time for a complete day and three suitable suppliers out
of six were identified for different times of the day. Results from the study show considerable
variation in the choice of supplier in the same day and a good correlation between traffic
conditions and time of delivery of concrete.

Online publication : 2017
Publication type : full_text
Public price (Euros) : 0.00