Cemex uses new concrete tech for dam

Mexico-based material producer Cemex has announced it will supply concrete specially designed for the construction of the Presa Bicentenario (Bicentennial Dam) in the state of Sonora, in Northwest Mexico.

The dam will have a storage capacity of 484 million cubic metres of water and aims to control the floods that affect the local community during the rainy season.

It is estimated that the dam contributes to the protection of approximately 11,000 homes in urban areas, 6,000 rural homes, 34,000 hectares of crops, and 48,615 hectares of infrastructure including roads, agriculture, health and educational facilities.

Part of Cemex’s solution for the dam’s builders was to install two continuous mixing plants for the production of Roller-Compacted Concrete, which produced more than 250m³ per hour.

Ricardo Naya, President of Cemex Mexico, said, “We supplied more than 600,000 cubic meters of Roller-Compacted Concrete, a concrete technology designed specifically for the construction of this type of dam.

“During peak production, up to 2,000 cubic meters of concrete were placed in a single night – a challenge that meant keeping not only operation and auxiliary equipment ready, but also raw material logistics coordination for timely delivery.”

The Roller-Compacted Concrete system reportedly offers benefits such as the reduction of displaced areas and cost and quality control of the finished elements.