201. Accelerated Placement of Concrete – Rotec System at Omkareshwar Project – 520 MW, A Case Study

Omkareshwar Project is one of the major multipurpose hydro projects in the state of Madhya Pradesh being executed by Narmada Hydroelectric Development Corporation Ltd. Under ownership basis. For the first time in the history of hydropower projects construction in India ROATEC System at such a massive scale has been incorporated at Omkareshwar Project for the placement of concrete of the magnitude of 400 cum/hr. This will enable us in completing the project in less than a record time period of four years. A 600-tonne-per-hour Aggregate Processing Plant will be processing 2.82 million cu m of aggregate. A central automatic Cifa batching plant with 330 cu m/hr capacity featuring four horizontal mixers along with three 800-tonne silos, two 120 tonne silos and one 80 tonne silo for cement and seven 800-tonne bins for aggregate and sand, 240 tonne per day ice plant and 1500 TR chilling plant will be producing concrete in synchronization with each other. Since the placement rate of the concrete required for completion in stipulated time of the work as per Construction Schedule is very high (peak placement 276 m³/hr), an arrangement for fast conveyance of concrete has to be adopted. While looking for suitable technologies available for fast placement of concrete ROTEC system with ample experience since 1968 in the field of Dam construction in more than 145 projects viz. Caruachi Dam in Venezuela, Xiaolangdi and Three Gorges dam in China, Huites in Maxico and Miel in Columbia with placement rate as high as 400m³/hr was found appropriate in this regard. The ROTEC system provides a means to transport concrete directly from the plant to the final point of placement. ROTEC system can place concrete at a radius of up to 100 m with pinpoint accuracy. In addition to its precision and wide coverage area, the high-speed Towerbelt conveyors can deliver a high volume of concrete to the pour area in a short period of time.