Concrete is an irreplaceable material used in the construction of a wide variety of buildings and structures. Few people know that mankind has been using this material for many centuries. The fact that concrete is a unique building material was learned in ancient Rome.
Many years have passed, many new technologies have appeared in the field of construction, but concrete has not lost its popularity. Depending on the ingredients, a large number of types of this concrete material are produced. It is used in residential, industrial construction, during repairs, covering roads, and constructing extra-strong structures. All this becomes possible due to its unique properties.
Whatever; if you are interested in doing concrete construction, you can read this article continuously. There is given some valuable information about concrete and describe the application of concrete exist. To learn more or hire concrete contractors, you can click here.
What is Concrete?
Concrete is a mixture of a specific composition, which, when hardened, forms a monolithic stone-like material. The concrete mix includes binders, aggregates, water, and chemically active additives.
Cement most often acts as a binder in a concrete mixture, and fine crushed stone and sand are used as aggregates. Other binders are also used, after which silicate concretes, gypsum, and polymer concretes are obtained.
What are the fundamental physical properties of concrete?
Compressive strength:
It determines the ability not to collapse under the influence of external forces. The strength of concrete fully corresponds to the identical characteristics of the aggregate included in the structure. It can be natural and artificial stone materials – crushed stone, gravel, coarse sand, ore, etc.
Density:
Concrete contains voids – pores, and their number affects the density of the material. Density is calculated as the ratio of the mass of concrete. Its volume and is expressed using kg / m3 and sometimes as a percentage.
Indeed, the higher this indicator, the stronger the concrete. Different types of materials have different densities, so a particular classification has been developed: incredibly lightweight, lightweight, heavy, and super heavy concrete.
Water tightness:
Concrete is indispensable for manufacturing hydraulic structures – dams, supports, bridges, and water resistance is significant. With a thickness of more than 200 mm, the concrete is waterproof.
This concrete property is characterized by the degree of slightest water pressure at which it still does not seep through the concrete specimen. In order to increase water resistance, plastic films or sealing additives are used.
Frost resistance:
There are special requirements for structures in areas with harsh climatic conditions. Concrete structures that can withstand significant temperature fluctuations are best suited in this case.
In fact, frost-resistant characteristics are essential when buying concrete mixtures that will contact the external environment. Before the manufacturer marks the mortar for frost resistance, concrete undergoes a series of laboratory tests on standard samples. The experiments are continued until the strength indicators begin to decrease.
What are the Application area of concrete?
The area of application of concrete is extensive – from the construction of nuclear power plants to interior finishing works. Concrete is used to construct housing, high-quality and durable roadbeds breakwaters, breakwaters, and piers. The characteristics of the material used for different purposes vary significantly.
For example, hefty concrete is used in the construction of nuclear power plants. 1 m³ of this substance weighs 2.5 tons. During the construction of the foundations of multi-story buildings and the manufacture of substantial reinforced concrete slabs, heavy concrete is used, 1 m³ of which weighs from 1.8 to 2.5 tons.
Lightweight concrete, weighing in the range of 0.5 to 1.8 t / m³, is used to manufacture wall panels, blocks, and floors. There is also exceptionally lightweight concrete intended primarily for external thermal insulation of buildings and structures. Its weight does not exceed 0.5 t / m³.
