Rule 1 – Correct Placement & Stabilization of Concrete Pump Trucks
Park the pump truck on flat, solid ground without surrounding obstacles. Fully extend and adjust outriggers to keep the machine horizontal and stable, and wedge tires tightly with stoppers. If foundation pits exist nearby, maintain a safe distance from pit edges to prevent tipping and ground collapse.
Rule 2 – Standard Laying Requirements for Pumping Pipelines
All delivery pipelines shall be laid and fixed following below specifications:
Horizontal pump pipes shall be laid in straight lines as far as possible;
Vertical pump pipes cannot be directly connected to the pump outlet. Install a horizontal pipe of at least 20 meters ahead of vertical pipes, and equip a check valve near the pump end of this horizontal pipe;
For downward inclined pipelines: add a horizontal section at the discharge outlet, whose length shall be no less than 5 times the height difference of the inclined pipe to increase flow resistance. If the slope is steep, mount an exhaust valve at the upper end of the slope;
Firmly support and fix all pump pipes. Place wooden cushions between pipes and fixed supports for buffering; do not bind pipes directly to steel bars or formworks. Fasten all pipe joints and clamps tightly to prevent mortar leakage. Never install heavily worn pipes in high-pressure rear pipeline sections;
Conduct a pressure resistance test for the entire pipeline system after layout completion.
Rule 3 – Raw Material Matching & Full Pre-operation Inspection
Aggregate size, cement grade and concrete mix ratio shall comply with manufacturer standards to guarantee good pumpability.Inspect the whole equipment before startup:
Ensure all bolts are tight and safety guards are intact and reliable;
Adjust all control switches, handles, handwheels, levers and cocks to standard positions;
Check the hydraulic system for zero leakage and qualified hydraulic oil;
Clear all foreign debris inside the mixing hopper and fasten the undamaged protective grid on top;
Keep the cooling water tank full and fully lubricate all lubrication points.
Rule 4 – Pipeline Selection & Temperature Protection Measures
Select pump pipes with wall thickness matching working pressure, and adopt high-quality pipes near the pump body. Replace damaged joints, sealing rings and elbows timely.
High-temperature summer: Cover pipelines with wet gunny bags or straw sacks and spray water regularly for cooling;
Cold winter: Wrap pipelines with thermal insulation materials to prevent concrete freezing and blockage.
Rule 5 – Prepare Complete Cleaning Tools & Clear Non-Staff from Pipeline Area
Get ready cleaning hoses, cleaning supplies, receiving buckets and matching accessories in advance. Keep irrelevant personnel away from pipelines to avoid injury caused by pipe burst or splashing mortar.
Rule 6 – No-load Test Run & Pipeline Lubrication Before Pumping
Start the machine and run under no-load state first. Observe instrument readings and check running conditions of pump and mixing device. Only start formal pumping after confirming all parts work normally.Before pumping concrete, pour 10L clean water and 0.3 cubic meters of cement mortar into the hopper to lubricate the pump chamber and full pipelines.
Rule 7 – Control Concrete Level & Remove Foreign Objects in Hopper During Operation
Keep concrete liquid level inside the hopper above the mixing shaft axis during pumping. Do not stack excessive concrete on the protective grid. Control feeding flow, clear oversized aggregates and foreign materials in time, and do not move the protective grid randomly.
Rule 8 – Disposal Standard for Segregated Concrete
Stop pumping immediately once concrete segregation occurs in the hopper; resume pumping only after uniform stirring. If aggregates separate severely with insufficient mortar, remove partial coarse aggregates and add new mortar for remixing.
Rule 9 – Continuous Pumping & Standard Operation During Interruption
Concrete pumping shall maintain continuous feeding. If feeding is interrupted, the stop time shall not exceed 30 minutes.During pause: Perform 2–3 cycles of reverse-forward pumping every 5–10 minutes (3–5 minutes in winter). Stir concrete fully before re-feeding and pumping. Empty all concrete inside pipelines if the stop time exceeds the limit.
Rule 10 – Re-pumping Steps After Vertical Pump Interruption
When vertical upward pumping is suspended midway, run reverse pumping first to draw concrete inside the distribution valve back to the hopper. Stir evenly, then switch to forward pumping.
Rule 11 – Strict Safety Regulations for Running Equipment
It is forbidden to put hands or shovels into the hopper or touch the distribution valve by hand while the pump operates. If maintenance is needed on the hopper or distribution valve, cut off motor power and release all pressure of the accumulator in advance.
Rule 12 – Hydraulic Pressure & Oil Temperature Control
Do not adjust hydraulic system pressure arbitrarily. Stop pumping once hydraulic oil temperature exceeds 70℃, but keep mixing blades and cooling fans running. Restart pumping after oil temperature drops to safe range.
Rule 13 – Daily Inspection of Cooling Water Tank
Keep the water tank full of clean water. Inspect and replace cooling water promptly if water turns turbid with lots of sand grains.
Rule 14 – Forbid Disassembly & Adjustment During Pump Running
Do not open any delivery pipelines or hydraulic pipelines while pumping. No adjustment, repair or disassembly of any moving parts when the equipment is operating.
Rule 15 – Real-time Inspection & Timely Replacement of Worn Parts
Check pump equipment and pipelines constantly during construction to eliminate hidden dangers immediately. Replace pipes, clamps and sealing rings exceeding wear limits without delay.
Rule 16 – Core Prevention Methods for Pipeline Blockage
Stir concrete evenly and control slump strictly to avoid pipe clogging. Avoid unnecessary mid-way pump stops during the whole pumping process.
Rule 17 – Real-time Monitoring of Meters & Warning Lights
Closely monitor all instruments and indicator lights. Adjust parameters or troubleshoot immediately once abnormal signals appear. Follow standardized steps below when pipeline blockage happens.
Rule 18 – Standard Blockage Clearing Process
Activate reverse pumping to push blocked concrete back to the hopper;
If repeated reverse pumping fails to clear the clog, cut off power and release all pipeline pressure before disassembling pipes for cleaning.
Rule 19 – Complete Equipment & Pipeline Cleaning After Construction
After pumping work, discharge all residual concrete from the hopper and pipelines, then thoroughly flush the pump, hopper and all pipelines.When cleaning pipelines with compressed air: Open the air intake valve slowly, and turn it to maximum only after concrete flows out smoothly. No person is allowed to stand within 10 meters of the pipe outlet. Use metal mesh baskets to collect cleaning balls and aggregate residues. Scrape solidified concrete with scrapers.
Rule 20 – Post-operation Reset & Lubrication Maintenance
After cleaning, shift two main pistons to the cleaning chamber and coat them with lubricating oil. Reset all control switches, handles, handwheels, levers and cocks to original positions, and fully unload pressure of the hydraulic system.
Conclusion
These 20 golden rules cover the full operation cycle of concrete pump trucks, including pre-job preparation, on-site pumping operation, pipe blockage disposal and post-work maintenance. Strict implementation can effectively reduce equipment breakdowns, eliminate construction safety accidents, improve pumping efficiency and extend service life of pump trucks and pipelines. All on-site concrete pump operators shall memorize and follow the rules every day.