It’s been a little while since we’ve provided a history lesson here at Thorcon Shotcrete and Shoring, so we’re taking the opportunity to expand on the history of one of our favorite topics: shotcrete and gunite. Here at our headquarters in Littleton, Colorado (near Denver), we provide superior shotcrete and shoring contracting services to the state of Colorado as well as states in the surrounding region. We appreciate the long history behind the process which allows us to install architectural, agricultural and structural shotcrete for our clients. Here’s the history of sprayed concrete from its inception up until the 1940s.
- The dry spray machine was invented in 1907 as a quicker way to install fine aggregates.
- In 1910, the double-chambered cement gun was introduced. The technology for application had advanced beyond the concrete available.
- Dry mix concrete, itself, was introduced in 1911, leading to the use of what we now call “gunite” for certain industrial needs.
- The brand name Gunite was established in 1912. The name came from the machine used to install the concrete mixture, known as a gun.
- In the 1920s, gunite mortar started to be used to fireproof mine drifts.
- In the 1930s, the American Railway Engineers Association gives the first official definition to the word “shotcrete” in order to describe the sprayed concrete process without using a brand name.
- In the 1940s, coarse aggregates were introduced into dry mixtures.
At this point in history, we haven’t even seen the development and mass use of the wet mix method. That will have to wait until next time, when we examine the history of shotcrete and gunite from the 1950s to the current day. There have been a lot of advancements since the early days of these methods, and Thorcon Shotcrete and Shoring would be happy to apply them to your next shoring, foundation or repair project. Just get in touch with us!