Essentially, concrete is the most widely used construction material in the entire world. It is a mix of various materials that includes cement, water, fine aggregate, and crushed stones or gravel.
Sand and gravel or crushed stones are examples of fine aggregate and coarse aggregate, respectively.
Concrete is a composite material made from natural and man-made materials. Aside from the typical sand, gravel and other additives, there is also the addition of water and Portland cement that help make the concrete stronger.
In today’s context, the concrete suppliers Brisbane are in the forefront of these industrial innovations in the construction business. They have procured the materials in producing concrete in many favorable ways.
Impact
Currently, we are surrounded with a plethora of concrete usage in our lives. From the flooring in your home to the pavement on a busy street, concrete is present all overand is often taken for granted.
Every day, billions of people walk the earth and interact with concrete. From sidewalks to highways, from buildings to bridges, this material is crucial to our society.
Materials
The three basic components of water, aggregates (rock, sand, or gravel) and Portland cement make up the composition of concrete.
The cement and the water become the paste that coats the aggregate materials and sand in the mix. The paste hardens afterwards and further binds the aggregates and sand together.
The water is needed to chemically react with the cement (called hydration) and to provide the workability with the concrete.
The water/cement ratio is the amount of water in the mix in relation to the amount of cement. The lower the water/cement ratio, the stronger the concrete is. Higher strength means less permeability.
The aggregates are usually gravel or crushed stone. .
Properties
The concrete mix is workable and can be placed and consolidated properly. The desired qualities of the hardened concrete are met. For example, resistance to freezing and thawing and deicing chemicals, watertightness (low permeability), wear resistance, and strength. Know what you are trying to achieve with the concrete.
Since the quality depends mainly on the water to cement ratio, the water requirement should be at a minimum to reduce the cement requirement (and reduce the cost).
How it works
As it is, concrete has been proven to be a durable and versatile building material that can withstand natural disasters.
Constantly used but often ignored, concrete takes a large part in any modern building’s infrastructure. The materials are also relatively economical, making it an excellent choice for people looking to build something from scratch or renovate their current property. It also has many different types and uses for various purposes.
Similar to mortars in both composition and structure, concrete is a binder to various masonry construction units. However, it has a wide range of applications.
This versatility is the result of concrete having both the fine and the larger course aggregates. The larger aggregates bring in the strength attribute that ordinary mortar don’t have. This makes it ideal for heavier and larger structures.
Cement in powder form acts as the binding agent when mixed with water and aggregates. This concrete mix is poured and hardens into the durable material familiar to us.
Advantages
Concrete has its own built-in advantages beside the big ones on its contribution to the present civilization and man’s present living conditions. As a construction material, concrete has a list of advantages that are not available in other materials.
As it is, concrete ingredients are easily available in many places for the construction people to take advantage of. Unlike the older stone materials, concrete is free from defects and flaws.
Specific qualities
It can be manufactured according to the strength, purpose, composition and other specific qualities wanted by the client whom contractors and builders can readily access. This includes the durability factor and the desired shape for a specific style.
Concrete casting can be done on-site or at nearby plants and transported accordingly, with costs that are typical. The finished product can help construct a building that is fire-safe because it is non-combustible, and the concrete can withstand very high temperatures that ordinary materials cannot.
In addition, concrete is resistant to wind and water, and are soundproofing material.
There are some disadvantages of concrete in that its tensile strength is relatively low and the material is less ductile. Further, its weight is high compared to its strength.
All of this is important for concrete, relative to the construction business where it is used extensively. These are the incredible attributes that make it excellent for buildings and structures.
Strength
Concrete is a very strong material that can withstand great tensile and compressive stresses without yielding. This strength is, of course, a function of the material components of the concrete mix.
This quality explains why poorly graded concrete is weaker than a well-graded mix. The strength of concrete makes it suitable for constructing foundations, wastewater treatment facilities, super structures, and other establishments.
Workability
This concrete attribute emphasizes the ease of use of one particular material or equipment and how it retains quality during its use.
Workability underscores the ease of use of a particular material or equipment and how it retains quality during use. Concrete for starter are easily made by concrete companies. The following moves of handling, transportation, placing, and finishing process is also as seamless as its mixing.
Because of such ease of use, concrete is universally accepted as an extremely workable material that is great even for large construction projects.
Durability
Concrete lasts for ages, even under very adverse conditions. Concrete can resist weathering action, chemical action, abrasion, and both tensile and compressive stress for long periods without compromising its structural integrity. This attribute makes a concrete structure more stable and suitable for places with rough conditions.
Longevity
Concrete had been known to last for over a thousand years. (The human-made concrete dates back to about 500 BC.)
Likewise, it is now known that commercial concrete work require little maintenance sav3 form a few touch-ups here and there. The long-lasting quality of concrete makes it a great material for permanent buildings and other structures like bridges and even dams.
Economical
Concrete is not only popular because of its innate qualities, but also because it is cheap in the face of great job in building constructions.
It is also very versatile and can be used for a variety of structures including buildings, pavements, pathways, and even bridges, to name a few.
