Types Of Concrete And its Diverse Usages
In terms of the construction industry, concrete is a composite material made up of gravel, sand, and water, and bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) forming a stone-like mass when dry. The material is used in a wide range of applications, due to which it is one of the most widely used construction materials out there. Let’s have a look at its diverse usages and know about its different types so that you can make an informed choice.
Uses of Concrete
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- It is used in the construction of large dams because of its high strength and unit weight. Its high strength allows the dams to bear high pressure of water and produce electricity.
- It can be placed or molded into virtually any shape and reproduce any surface texture.
- It can be used for making a strong foundation and flooring of buildings.
- It can be used in making pavements, streets, and driveways, which are more durable and stronger than those made of other materials.
- It has extensive use in the construction of sea walls, jetties, breakwaters, etc.
- It can also be used in culverts and sewers.
Ideal Concrete Mixing Ratio
When making concrete it’s important to use the correct mixing ratio to produce a strong and durable mix. The ratio of aggregate to sand to cement is an important factor in the strength of the material. The most commonly used ratio is 1 part of cement, 3 parts of sand, and 3 parts aggregates (stone and water). However, the ratio of these depends on where will you use the mixture. For instance, in the roof and column of a building, you need a hard and strong mixture, because they hold the total load of the building. The ratio may change for other parts of the building.
Different Types of Concrete Used in Construction
- Normal strength type
This type is obtained by just normally mixing up of cement, sand, gravel, and water. The strength of the material has an initial setting time of 30 minutes to 120 minutes, depending on the properties of cement and weather conditions of your construction site.
- Plain type
By the word “plain”, you can say that it is not so hard and strong. It has a ratio of 1:2:4 which is the normal mix design. It is used in areas where you don’t need strong and good tensile strength, like in making pavements and in one-story buildings. The durability that it provides is satisfactory to a high extent.
- Reinforced type
It is a type in which metal bars or wires are embedded in the material to provide extra strength to the structure. As compared to plain type, it is good in compression, whereas plain one is weak in tension.
- Polymer type
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This a different type that uses polymer to bind aggregates in place of cement. Polymer type can gain a lot of strength in a short period of time. It may reach 5000 psi in only four hours. Generally, it is more expensive than the conventional type but has benefits too.
- Asphalt
This type is almost the same as the polymer type. Strictly speaking, asphalt with bituminous replaces the cement as a binder. The best thing about this material is that it’s costing and repairing in driveways is very much less as compared to conventional type.
- Nano type
This type contains Portland cement particles which have the size not greater than 100 micrometers. It requires high energy mixing of sand, cement, gravels, and water just in the right proportion.
- High strength type
The main specialty of this material is that it has a high compressive strength of as much as 60 MPa. It is made by decreasing the w/c ratio to 0.35 or lower than this. It is often used in the construction of high-rise buildings, long-span bridges, and highways.
I think this will clear all your doubts, and provide you knowledge about what is concrete, its types and their different uses in the construction field. So, use this information and take an appropriate decision as per the type of your construction project.
