Shotcreting – types of shotcreting and equipment used

Tunnelling can be broadly explained as construction of a fully stable, safe and structurally sound underground cavity to serve the required purpose. Therefore, it is widely accepted in the construction industry right from the ancient ages. With the advent of construction design, building materials, rock mechanics, modern sophisticated equipment, tunnelling now-a-days has been more significantly used in hydropower, transportation, water supply and other construction projects. Moreover, due to the above said advancements in various construction fields, tackling the unpredictable geological conditions have become more and more reliable day by day. Tunnelling in Himalayan region has got its own importance since Himalayas are the youngest mountain ranges present on the earth, well known for its varying geological conditions in small stretches. Therefore, use of modern tunnelling methods, advanced equipment so as to ensure, safe, successful and efficient tunnelling is of utmost importance. Shotcrete is widely used as basic supporting element in tunnelling industry. Along with the progressive a development in various elements of the construction industry, shotcrete has also experienced major progressive changes and has been established as one of the most important activity in tunnelling industry. The paper aims to briefly discuss the following: (i) what is shotcrete? (ii) Importance of shotcreting in tunnelling. (iii) Types of shotcreting methods. (iv) Properties of shotcrete and