Latest Developments In The World Of Concrete In San Diego
Concrete is one entity whose importance has not changed much since its came into existence. This is one basic element that has been responsible and has been the basic building block across the world. From developed nations to developing nations no country can even think of development without concrete. A lot of research and development has been happening in the construction industry that has led to quite a few changes in the usage of concrete. The construction industry is waking up to the call of the environment, economy and quality. Therefore concrete that does not harm the environment, is light weight on the pocket of the consumer and helps build strong and sturdy structures is fast replacing the already existing concrete in the market. A few notable changes and innovations in the concrete industry are listed below.
The introduction of Blended cements in concrete
The introduction of blended cement has helped the construction industry manifold as it has been responsible for the increase in the strength and stability of the structures built over time. Blended cement is a mixture of ordinary Portland cement with blending materials like silica fumes, fly ash, limestone, and slag. The advantages of using blended cement are manifold. Blended cement provides a fine texture than Portland cement and is used for finishing and elevation works. Water consumption is less and strength gained over a period of 28 days is more than ordinary Portland cement. Blending materials used in blended cements are industrial by products which reduce the pressure on natural resources like limestone, silica and clay.
High Performance Concrete the basic for super strong structures
High performance concrete is defined as the concrete with high strength and durability significantly not obtained by normal means. Although the material used is same as it is in normal concrete however there is a difference in the proportions of the constituents to achieve high strength. A high strength concrete is defined to be having a specified compressive strength of 8000psi or greater.
Smart Concrete for Smart Construction
Huge skyscrapers, big parking lots, bridges and even small building develop cracks over a period of time which might go unnoticed until a human being takes it up for manual inspection. However if the human eye fails to detect the crack or the inspection occurs too late the damage to the structure might be quite severe. In this context Dr. Deborah D.L. Chung from State University of New York at Buffalo, U.S. has developed smart concrete. This is normal concrete fortified with carbon fiber, comprising 0.2% – 0.5% of the total volume. This is very helpful in detecting the stress and strain in the concrete structure. The stress and strain is detected without any human intervention and much before any damage like cracks happen. This is one technology that has undergone a lot of testing in the lab however is in its infancy in the commercial market.
Self-Consolidating Concrete – SRC for better results
Self-consolidating concrete is composed of highly fluid mixture designed to flow and consolidate under its own weight. This kind of mixture is very cohesive due to the composition of its ingredients. Self-Consolidating concrete has many benefits in the construction industry. It has a faster placement, an improved finish, ease of filling restricted sections, nooks and corners during construction, improved pump ability, reduced labor costs, elimination of vibrators and increased job site safety. With so many benefits Self consolidating concrete has become the mainstay for the construction industry.
Author bio
Joseph Hoppe is a Masonry Contractor in San Diego. He loves to share his knowledge as he has more than 16 years of experience in Masonry. He is passionate about arena football matches.
