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.
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.
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.