Enhanced Comparative Study of On-Site Mixing vs. Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC)

Abstract - This paper comparatively analyses on-site mixing and Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC), evaluating their impacts on construction project management, specifically concerning quality, cost, time, logistics, and sustainability. Drawing from empirical data and various the research highlights RMC's consistent quality and superior compressive strengths across comparable grades. For instance, RMC consistently outperforms hand-mixed concrete (HMC) in strength, showing deviations of 11.64% for M15, 11.83% for M20, and 12.6% for M25 grades at 28 days. RMC is produced in controlled environments, ensuring precise mix proportions and reduced labour dependency. While on-site mixing may offer lower initial material costs, it often leads to inconsistent quality, increased labour, and higher overall expenses due to rework and slower production RMC, despite higher upfront costs, proves more economical long-term through efficiency and waste reduction. Logistical challenges like transportation delays affect RMC while on-site mixing faces space constraints and environmental impacts. The study also examines RMC plant sustainability, including energy, water, and waste management. The choice between methods depends on project scale, quality demands, time constraints, and logistical feasibility. RMC is ideal for large, time-sensitive, and high-performance projects, whereas on-site mixing suits smaller, remote, or budget-constrained works with skilled supervision. This paper provides a framework for informed decision-making in concrete production. Key Words: ready-mix concrete, on-site mixing, compressive strength, workability, construction management, cost efficiency