What Is Concrete?

Introduction

Concrete is the most widely used construction material and can be defined as a type of composite material whose constituents are water, aggregate (fine and coarse), cement and admixture. The word concrete has been derived from Latin word ‘concretus’ which means compact/condensed. Concrete usage dates back to thousands of years. According to one particular archaeologist, Heinrich Schliemann concrete floors found royal palace of Tiryns, Greece date back to 1400-1200 BC.

Working Principle of Concrete

The working principle of concrete is simple; the cement is the binding material and spaces are filled up using the aggregate that can be divided into coarse and fine aggregate. Water is used to activate cement’s binding properties and admixture is added to alter concrete’s properties. The admixture may decrease the amount of water required for a particular weight of concrete or increase the time before the concrete begins to harden. These materials; water cement and aggregate are supposed to be mixed as per defined ratios.

Types Of Concrete

• Mix design
• Old concrete recipes
• Modern concrete
• High-strength concrete
• Stamped concrete
• High-performance concrete
• Ultra-high-performance concrete
• Self-consolidating concretes
• Vacuum concrete
• Shotcrete
• Limecrete

Applications of Concrete

• Highways
• Dams
• Canals
• Buildings
• Agricultural Waste Containment
• Water Tank
• Pavements

Precautionary Measures

• Make sure you don’t come in contact with the mixture.
• Wear gloves and boots while working with concrete.
• Be sure to provide water to it so as to allow for the chemical reaction to take place.
• Beware of concrete cracking.
• Make sure you are mixing the ingredients in the right ratio.