# Concrete Pumping Calculator

Real output, pour duration and the truck fleet needed to keep the pump fed.

- Page: https://jianzhujisuan.com/en/concrete-pump
- Category: Concrete (https://jianzhujisuan.com/en/c/concrete)
- Chinese version: https://jianzhujisuan.com/zh/concrete-pump.md
- Data checked: 2026-10-25

## Quick result

With the default inputs (Volume to place 100 m³, Theoretical output 60 m³/h, Efficiency factor 0.6, Truck capacity 9 m³, Truck round trip 40 min): **Real output 36.0 m³/h**

## Inputs

| Parameter | Type | Default | Unit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume to place | number | 100 | m³ |  |
| Theoretical output | number | 60 | m³/h | Trailer 40-80, truck-mounted 60-90, boom pump 80-120 |
| Efficiency factor | number | 0.6 | — | Allowing for set-up, cleaning, waiting and moving, usually 0.5-0.7 |
| Truck capacity | number | 9 | m³ |  |
| Truck round trip | number | 40 | min | Load, travel, discharge and return |

## Formula

- **Real output**: Q = Q_theoretical × efficiency
- **Duration**: t = V ÷ Q
- **Trucks per hour**: n = Q ÷ truck capacity
- **Fleet**: N = ceil(n × cycle ÷ 60)
- **Arrival interval**: Δt = 60 ÷ n minutes

## Worked example

100 m³ with a 60 m³/h pump at 0.6 efficiency, 9 m³ trucks and a 40-minute cycle: 36 m³/h real output, 2.78 hours of placing, 4 trucks per hour, 3 trucks needed (4 recommended) arriving every 15 minutes.

## Questions

### Why an efficiency factor of 0.6?

Rated output assumes full load and an ideal pipeline. Real work loses time to set-up, flushing, moving the line, waiting for trucks and voltage swings, so 50-70% is typical. Pressure losses add up as roughly 1 m per 10 m of horizontal pipe and 1 m per 3 m of vertical — long lines can drop to 0.4.

### What happens if I under-supply trucks?

The pump stops and waits. With ordinary concrete setting in 4-6 hours, a 30-minute wait forces constant reverse pumping and grout addition, and over an hour is effectively a cold joint with reduced strength and watertightness. One spare truck is cheaper than an idle pump: an hour of pump standing time costs far more than an extra load.

### How do height and distance affect pump choice?

Every 3 m of lift equals about 1 m of horizontal pressure loss, and 100 m of horizontal pipe loses roughly 10 m of head, plus 3-5 m per bend. Boom pumps are limited by boom length; beyond about 30 storeys or 200 m horizontally you need a trailer pump with a relay. Compute the equivalent pipe length before choosing a pump.

## Related tools

- [Concrete Volume Calculator](https://jianzhujisuan.com/en/concrete-volume): Enter length, width and thickness to get the concrete volume you need and how many truck loads that is.
- [Formwork Area Calculator](https://jianzhujisuan.com/en/formwork-area): Pick a member type, enter section and length, and get the formwork contact area plus sheet and batten estimates.
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- [Concrete Pour Sequencing Calculator](https://jianzhujisuan.com/en/concrete-pour-plan): Divide a slab into strips and get the volume, truck count and duration for each pour.
- [Concrete Strength Converter](https://jianzhujisuan.com/en/concrete-strength-convert): Convert between grade, MPa, psi and kgf/cm², with cube-to-cylinder correction.

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