Vibration Poker

Summary

Vibration Poker - A vibration poker is used to compact concrete just after placement, particularly along the slab edges and around columns / pits etc, where a laser screed might not reach.

Technical Information

Once concrete has been placed, it needs to be compacted to release the air entrapped in the concrete during mixing and agitation. The most common method for achieving this is vibration.

The preferred tool for the vibration of small, difficult to reach areas is the vibration poker. It is used primarily in the areas around the edge of pours where the laser screed can’t easily reach.

When using a vibration poker it is important that it is not left in the concrete too long, it should be in and out in a fairly smooth manner. Dragging the poker through the concrete can cause segregation and can cause more air to be trapped. The poker must be inserted vertically at multiple locations until the whole area has been compacted.

Each poker has a ‘diameter of influence’, beyond which it is not effective. Therefore, it is critical to ensure that the locations at which the poker is inserted are arranged such that there are no points which haven’t fallen outside of the poker’s ‘area of influence’. As a rule of thumb, the diameter of influence can be considered around ten times the diameter of the poker head.