The document discusses various types of concrete, including plain concrete, reinforced concrete, lightweight concrete, high density concrete, precast concrete, pre-stressed concrete, glass reinforced concrete, air-entrained concrete, self-compacting concrete, lime concrete, shotcrete, rapid-hardening concrete, and polymer concrete. It provides details on the composition, properties, and uses of each concrete type. Images are included to illustrate characteristics of the different concretes at both the macro and micro levels.
The document discusses various types of concrete, including plain concrete, reinforced concrete, lightweight concrete, high density concrete, precast concrete, pre-stressed concrete, glass reinforced concrete, air-entrained concrete, self-compacting concrete, lime concrete, shotcrete, rapid-hardening concrete, and polymer concrete. It provides details on the composition, properties, and uses of each concrete type. Images are included to illustrate characteristics of the different concretes at both the macro and micro levels.
The document discusses various types of concrete, including plain concrete, reinforced concrete, lightweight concrete, high density concrete, precast concrete, pre-stressed concrete, glass reinforced concrete, air-entrained concrete, self-compacting concrete, lime concrete, shotcrete, rapid-hardening concrete, and polymer concrete. It provides details on the composition, properties, and uses of each concrete type. Images are included to illustrate characteristics of the different concretes at both the macro and micro levels.
The document discusses various types of concrete, including plain concrete, reinforced concrete, lightweight concrete, high density concrete, precast concrete, pre-stressed concrete, glass reinforced concrete, air-entrained concrete, self-compacting concrete, lime concrete, shotcrete, rapid-hardening concrete, and polymer concrete. It provides details on the composition, properties, and uses of each concrete type. Images are included to illustrate characteristics of the different concretes at both the macro and micro levels.
Concrete Concrete is a composite material made of cement, water, and aggregate (can either be rock, gravel, or sand). Mixing these 3 creates a paste you can shape into any wall or structure, which is then left to harden over time.
Many residential and commercial structures in the
Philippines use concrete for their construction because of the weather’s unpredictability. Advantages & Disadvantages A D V D I S A D V
versatile and easily available low tensile strength
a durable and easy to shape material unsustainable
non-combustible susceptible to efflorescence
Plain/Ordinary Concrete This is the most commonly used type of concrete, made of cement, aggregate, and water.
It is very good with compressive strength, but since it is not reinforced,
it tends to crack under tension.
Not suitable for many structures that need to withstand vibrations, wind, etc. and is instead preferred for pavements, flooring, as well as a base for reinforced concrete to not touch the soil and risk corrosion plain concrete microscopic image of plain concrete Reinforced Concrete Reinforced Concrete, like plain concrete, is made from the typical way of mixing concrete: cement, aggregates, water.
However, another component (called a rebar) is added within the concrete
before it sets to let them create a strong bond and increase its strength.
The combined ability of concrete’s compressive resistance, and the rebar’s
tensile resistance, makes it ideal for high-rise buildings, bridges, and other large infrastructures.
As it is its main purpose, reinforced concrete is really good at handling
both compressive, and tensile forces. However it does require a massive amount of formwork, labor, time, as well as cost. reinforced concrete close up image of in use aggregate particles Lightweight Concrete Lightweight concrete has a lower density compared to its other counterparts as it’s made with lightweight coarse aggregates (pumice, clay, shales for example). this is typically used for floor slabs, roofs, and window panels.
Lightweight concrete reduces the load it takes up, as well as having a very low thermal conductivity, however overall strength is lower than that of normal concrete. lightweight concrete blocks close up image of lightweight concrete High Density Concrete Using higher density aggregates (such as barite, magnetite, and ilmenite) results in a heavyweight concrete.
The high density makes it a good shield from x-rays and radiation, a property that makes it ideal for nuclear power plants and other such structures.
High density aggregates should be from foreign matter to not delay the bonding process. Additives like borocalcite and colemanite are added to enhance the concrete’s shielding ability. high density concrete wall close up image of a high density concrete block Pre-cast Concrete As the name suggests, Precast concrete is concrete that has been prepared, cast, and cured off-site, typically made in a factory with a reusable mold.
Precast concrete pieces help make projects finish faster, and reduces the delays as they are simply connected and welded to be completed.
They are commonly used as structural components such as pipes, beams, and floors. precast concrete close up of precast concrete sample Pre-stressed Concrete To improve the strength of concrete, tension or stress is introduced into the steel bars as a way of counteracting the stress that will occur on the structure when it is in use.
There are two ways to prestress concrete: pre-tensioning and post
tensioning. Pre-stressed Concrete Pre-tensioning Concrete is poured onto a steel cable that is being stretched out and meant to cure the tense cables in place.
Post-tensioning a steel cable is used to tightly hold together rows of precast concrete blocks, which are then locked with anchors. pre-stressed concrete ceiling Glass Reinforced Concrete Sometimes concrete is reinforced with the use of glass fibers instead of the usual steel rebar, making it unsusceptible to rust.
Strong and alkali-resistant glass fibers are embedded into the concrete, and act as the reinforcing.
Glass reinforced concrete is often used for exterior cladding panels.
glass reinforced close up image of concrete in use glass fibers Air-entrained Concrete Some amount of moisture will be present in concrete after it cures, which can expand when it freezes in colder temperatures, this could cause freeze- thaw damage overtime.
Air-entrained concrete prevents this with millions of microscopic air
bubbles that frozen water can expand into. This releases the internal pressure within the concrete.
This is achieved through the addition of air-entraining agents in the
concrete mixture. air-entrained concrete close up image of air- entrained concrete particles Self-Compacting Concrete Self-compacting concrete is a type of concrete that is able to flow under its own weight and has no need for external compaction to remove air.
This is often used for repairs and restorations, complex frames, as well as raft and pile foundations. self-compacting concrete being poured Lime Concrete When Limestone is burned, it creates a product called lime, and when it is mixed with water, sand and other aggregates, you make lime cement, which can be used as a binding material for concrete, making lime concrete.
It has use in foundations of load bearing walls, capillary breaks in
insulation, and the under layers of floors. lime concrete wall close up image of lime concrete particles Shotcrete Shotcrete is a special method of applying concrete where it is expelled out through a hose in high velocities on a surface. The impact of the concrete on to the surface is what consolidates it, and creates a strong bond to the substrate.
Shotcrete can either have all the ingredients mixed, including water, before it is passed through the hose (wet-mix) or have the water be mixed with the dry materials at the nozzle (dry-mix).
It is mostly suitable for vertical, overhead, or curved surfaces.
construction worker applying the shotcrete method Rapid-Hardening Concrete Rapid hardening concrete is a type of concrete that’s made to set fast and gain strength relatively quicker than other types of concrete. This was achieved through the quantity of tri-calcium silicate used in making it.
This is best used in short duration projects, repairs, or in constructions
with formworks that need to be reused. rapid hardening concrete being poured on to the ground Polymer Concrete Polymer Concrete is made when a polymer binder is used to bind the aggregate.
Different formulations provide a unique combination of properties. Some of
these include low permeability to water, good chemical resistance, and good adhering to most surfaces like metal.
Polymer concrete is good for floors and bridge deck coverings.
polymer concrete block close up image of polymer concrete particles SOURCES Designing Buildings. (2022). Concrete. Retrieved from https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Concrete
Designing Buildings. (2022). Types of Concrete. Retrieved from
The Construction Civil. (n.d.). High density concrete. Retrieved
from https://www.theconstructioncivil.org/high-density-concrete/ SOURCES Hamarkeem, M. (n.d.). What is reinforced concrete? Uses, benefits, and advantages. Retrieved from https://theconstructor.org/concrete/reinforced-concrete-uses-benefits- advantages/35976/
Rahman, F. (n.d.). Plain cement concrete (PCC) - Work procedure.
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Rahman, F. (n.d.). How to mix, compact, and cure lime concrete?.
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Mishra, G. (n.d.). Polymer cement concrete: Properties and uses.
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and tests. Retrieved from https://theconstructor.org/concrete/self- compacting-concrete-properties-tests/7683/ SOURCES Civil Lead. (n.d.). Prestressed concrete - definition, method, advantages, disadvantages. Retrieved from https://www.civillead.com/prestressed-concrete/
The Concrete Countertop Institute. (n.d.). Introduction to GFRC
(Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete) and its benefits. Retrieved from https://concretecountertopinstitute.com/free-training/introduction- to-gfrc-glass-fiber-reinforced-concrete/
Panarese, W. (1963). How to use air-entrained concrete… and why you
should use it. Retrieved from https://www.concreteconstruction.net/how-to/materials/how-to-use- air-entrained-concrete-and-why-you-should-use-it_o
MPA The Concrete Centre. (n.d.). Lightweight concrete. Retrieved
from https://www.concretecentre.com/Specification/Special- Concrete/lightweight-concrete.aspx SOURCES Minnesota Department of Transportation. (n.d.). Prestressed concrete bridges. Retrieved from https://www.dot.state.mn.us/historicbridges/prestressed- concrete.html
American Concrete Institute. (n.d.). What is shotcrete and when is
it used?. Retrieved from https://www.concrete.org/tools/frequentlyaskedquestions.aspx? faqid=746
