Vacuum concrete is the one from which water is removed by vacuum pressure after placement of concrete structural member. Vacuum concrete has high strength and durability than normal concrete.

Water-cement ratio is detrimental for concrete. We always try to restrict the water-cement ratio in order to achieve higher strength.

The chemical reaction of cement with water requires a water-cement ratio of less than 0.38, whereas the adopted water-cement ratio is much more than that mainly because of the requirement of workability. Workability is also important for concrete, so it can be placed in the formwork easily without honeycombing.

After the requirement of workability is over, this excess water will eventually evaporate leaving capillary pores in the concrete. These pores result into high permeability and less strength in the concrete. Therefore, workability and high strength don’t go together as their requirements are contradictory to each other.

Vacuum concrete is the effective technique used to overcome this contradiction of opposite requirements of workability and high strength. With this technique both these are possible at the same time.

In this technique, the excess water after placement and compaction of concrete is sucked out with the help of vacuum pumps. This technique is effectively used in industrial floors, parking lots and deck slabs of bridges etc. The magnitude of applied vacuum is usually about 0.08 MPa and the water content is reduced by upto 20-25%. The reduction is effective upto a depth of about 100 to 150 mm only.

Mainly, four components are required in vacuum dewatering of concrete, which are given below:

1.Vacuum pump

2.Water separator

1. Filtering Pad

2. Screed Board Vibrator

Advantages of vacuum concreting:

1. Due to dewatering through vacuum, both workability and high strength are achieved simultaneously.
2. Reduction in water-cement ratio may increase the compressive strength by 10 to 50% and lowers the permeability.
3. It enhances the wear resistance of concrete surface.
4. The surface obtained after vacuum dewatering is plain and smooth due to reduced shrinkage.
5. The formwork can be removed early and surface can be put to use early.