All About Concrete: Why It Stands Out Among It’s Competition
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When it comes to concrete, you are bound to find that the material is one of the most ubiquitous building materials and that nearly everyone, from the government to the public, utilizes the same regularly. But have you ever wondered as to what makes concrete so popular? Well, read on to know more about the grey building material.
- Durable: If you were to take a survey today, you are likely to find that nearly everyone favors concrete and with good reason. The material is not expensive and it happens to be long-lasting. And if you feel that you need some proof to back up that statement, all you need to do is to take a look at the ancient Roman monuments, which are over two thousand years old. And the ancient Pantheon with the large free-standing cupola is a fine example of the durability of concrete. If you are planning to build a structure in concrete, you may first want to search online for concrete sealing in Melbourne first, to ensure that your concrete structure is perfect.
- Concrete, The Basics: If you were to ask any construction company regarding Polished concrete floors in Melbourne, they would be the first to tell you that concrete and cement are not the same. And they would be right, cement consists of aggregates such as sand, stone, slate, clay, and even limestone. On the contrary, concrete primarily consists of crushed rock, gravel and forms a primary constituent of cement as well. Water is then added to the mix, and this usually forms into a binding agent and one that provides strong support to any structure that you plan to build.
- Ancient Roots: Ancient Romans managed to finesse and perfect concrete to one of the strongest building materials in the ancient world. These buildings are still standing upright after 2000 years and that’s saying a lot when you take into account the fact that Rome had to face several invasions, cataclysmic upheavals in its entire history, to date. Moreover, other civilizations too had dabbled in concrete as well, starting with ancient Egypt and examples of their architecture are still around. But the fact is that ancient Rome had indeed specialized in Concrete to the point of developing concrete that’s lighter than air, e.g. the Pantheon’s Cupola. Though the secret of the mixture or the proportion used, is lost to time – it does emphasize the fact that concrete is the strongest and lasts longer than asphalt and any other building material.
- High Compression Strength: Concrete happens to be one of the few building materials that have a very high compression strength, And what’s more, builders these days have started reinforcing concrete with high tensile steel girders, making it possible for them to build skyscrapers and tall structures. Buildings built entirely on concrete, from Pantheon to Hadrian’s wall, have a high compression strength between 3000 and 7000 psi. But this can go all the way up to 20,000 psi.
- Waterproof: Yup! Concrete can be used underwater and it is the preferred material for most builders and developers all over the world. That’s mainly because concrete comes in various forms, and it can be used to develop structures even underwater. As long as the water remains still, you can pour concrete over the site, and develop the structure, while allowing it to set. But if the water is in motion, then it will wash away the cement paste, which is why you need to take care when using it underwater.
These are some of the pertinent facts that you need to know regarding concrete and its various uses.