It’s pretty hard to imagine a world without concrete, after all it’s the world’s most popular man-made building product – used to build everything from bridges to bird tables. More than 7 billion cubic metres of concrete are produced each year (that’s one cubic metre for every person on the planet) and, thanks to its strength and versatility, it’s been used since ancient times around the globe, and will continue to be used long after we are gone.
Until you needed it for your project, you probably didn’t give concrete a second thought – hardly the most interesting substance in the world, is it?
Well that’s where you’re wrong! Mr Pump has put together the most fascinating things we know about concrete…
1. It Is Fire And Water Resistant
Ok, so this you might already know; but it’s fascinating nonetheless: Concrete can’t be set on fire, doesn’t burn, and doesn’t release toxic fumes when it comes into contact with flames. Concrete conducts heat at a very slow rate, making it an ideal building material that makes an effective fire shield.
As a double-whammy, concrete is also virtually waterproof, which is a real bonus when it comes to building underground structures such as basements or low-level parking structures.
2. Concrete Can Be Beautiful As Well As Functional
Tower blocks, pavements, walls, motorways…concrete definitely plays a huge role when it comes to functional, outdoor structures, and probably conjures images in your mind of flat, blocky, industrial expanses of grey. But, this highly versatile material is also a popular choice for building projects at home.
Concrete’s waterproof quality makes it ideal for garden decor and furniture, and more and more people are now using it in their homes in the form of custom-made kitchen countertops, sinks and fireplaces.
Homeowners who are after a sleek, contemporary aesthetic are also turning on to the idea of concrete floors to give them the modern look they’re after, providing an economical and low-maintenance finish that can take a lifetime of wear and tear.
3. Reinforced Concrete Is Used For Underwater Structures
In fact, it’s the ONLY building material now used for underwater structures such as dams, piers, tunnels and sewers. Concrete is an aggregate, so it is possible to create different mixes for a specific purpose – such as for the construction of underwater structures.
Pozzolanic cement, made by grinding pozzolanic clinker with Portland cement creates a particularly versatile and highly water-resistant blend of concrete that outperforms steel for underwater construction
4. Concrete Helped Win World War II
At the start of WWII, in the absence of the development of radar, the British used concrete ‘sound mirrors’ to give them an early warning of approaching aircraft. These concave concrete structures were especially designed to pick up sound waves from enemy aircraft and predict their flight trajectory, giving the forces on the ground more time to prepare their defences.
This network of concrete sound reflectors, which had microphones suspended at their focal point and a range of up to 27 miles can still be seen on the English coast today.
5. Concrete Has Been Used Since Ancient Times
It’s the ancient Romans who developed the first concrete – or ‘pozzolana’ as they called it – by mixing lime, water and volcanic ash. They prized it for its waterproof qualities, using it to construct their port at Cosa in 100 BC, and the fact that three of the port’s concrete pillars survived shows just how impressive this material is – despite the ancient formula being a far cry from today’s concrete mixture of water, aggregate, cement and air.
6. Concrete is Super Versatile
Concrete’s popularity is largely down to its versatility. Its highly compressive quality means that it can be poured into any shape, size or design to create a huge variety of products that, in the long run, are low-maintenance, cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
7. Safety First
We’ve already told you that concrete doesn’t burn or give off toxic fumes, making it a safe and healthy building material for homes and other buildings, but it doesn’t end there.
Concrete doesn’t feed rot or mildew and provides a high level of indoor air quality by stopping pollen, dust and other airborne pollutants from entering the building.
Areas of the world that experience earthquakes and severe weather use concrete to give added protection to their structures, and to protect against the effects of extreme outdoor temperatures.
So if you want to speak to the experts on all things concrete, speak to Mr Pump!
