This is important at all times especially during the dry hot season and when the ground surface is not so smooth. It ensures or reduces wastage of concrete and improves the quality of the job done.
These things are:
1. Booting
Booting is done on unleveled grounds. Its is achieved by cutting high portions of the bed to the excavation, filling low places and compacting the loose earth before placing or laying the concrete.
2. Wetting
Wetting is usually done during the hot season. Here it must be ensured that foundation trenches are thoroughly wetted with water before placing or laying the mixed concrete. This prevents the dissipation of strength or absorption of water from the concrete by the dry soil. This is to help prevent false setting.
3. Pegging
Pegging is done to maintain an even thickness throughout the foundation. This is done by driving pegs which could be wooden into the bed of the trench, leaving them projecting to a required depth which finally becomes the desired thickness of the concrete.
4. Pouring The Concrete
In most cases, this is done with the headland or wheelbarrow but in larger projects, concrete pumps may be used to transport the concrete from the mixing bail to the point where it would be placed.
Small batch mixers, tilting drums may also be used for the pouring of the concrete.
Please Note that it is also appropriate for the engineer to ensure the right mix ratio is maintained during all the batching.
For smaller projects, you’re also to ensure that the laborers pack as many headpans as stipulated for each mix as they may cut corners just to make the job easy on themselves