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Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Concrete* (But Were Afraid To Ask)
In the comments on another post, I mentioned it would be nice if someone talked about concrete — that noble material of the Pax Romana — so I might sound at least slightly knowledgeable on a topic here for once. Sure, it’s not as fun a topic as Same-Sex Marriage or drug legalization, but it may also help me in Dime’s contest this year for worst poster!
A little background: I am one of the owners of a commercial and industrial concrete construction company that does work all across the southeast and as far west as Oklahoma. Yes, it’s exactly as glamorous as it sounds! Concrete is a basically a mixture of cement, aggregate, and water. Yes, cement is an ingredient of concrete, so now you know if someone refers to concrete as “cement” it is appropriate to point and laugh.
Fellow member Captainpower was gracious enough to ask a few questions that I will try to answer adequately here:
Q: Are there different types of concrete?
A: Absolutely! It varies in both compressive and flexural strength, abrasiveness, color, reflectiveness, weight, etc.
Q: What’s the difference between good and bad (or proper and sloppy) concrete mixes and application?
A: I think this question is about the “slump” or “wetness” of concrete when it is first placed. The key measurement in a mix design that many times the “slump” indicates is the water/cement ratio. The concrete is weaker, both chemically and because of material segregation, when that ratio is too high.
Q: Are there any craftsmen left, or is everyone in it for a quick buck?
A: Yes there are some very talented craftsmen out there! It’s actually a pretty tough business to make a quick buck in, though I know residential contracting can attract some unsavory types that will try to take advantage of the unwary homeowner.
Q: Is concrete technology still progressing, or do we pretty much have it mastered since forever?
A: Concrete technology is constantly evolving and advancing, and the Romans would recognize very little about modern concrete, other than that it hardens. There are many chemical admixtures that can make concrete behave in various ways, which means it can be applied in all kinds of different ways. It can have its set time delayed indefinitely, or can be made to set almost immediately. It can be made to flow horizontally like water without losing strength, made waterproof… the list is endless.
Q: What’s better than concrete? What’s worse?
A: It depends on the application. People use concrete in all types of construction. Roadways, precast, structural building elements, kitchen counter tops, even concrete canoes. Does it make good carpet? Not especially, but a polished concrete floor that is colored or stained can look pretty darn good!
Anyone else have questions? The floor is open.
Published in General
Paul, are you some NeoConCon tiny rebar nut or part of the DOTCons ?
We are talking concrete issues and you are joking. I didn’t get the joke. Did you make it?
Philosophical Question
If Misthiocracy tells a joke in a forest, is it heard? (I think we should test this.)
Is that joke subtle?
Which hurts more on bare feet? Hot concrete? Or melted, sticky asphalt?
Why do you constantly interrupt my rant? If you don’t have anything constructive to say about a concrete post you should do whatever you were doing before.
Of course, asphalt is the most recycled material on Earth these days. So, it may be more environmentally sound than concrete.
Arahant,
Is this some Sock Puppet trick question? So my feet are bare what do you care? The human foot is a thing of beauty. That society hides it in socks and shoes is a shame. Arahant, you are a steel toed work boot guy, aren’t you? How long have you been repressed?
First off this is why we never get off the ground as a party. It is the ConCons that are weighing us down.
Exjoning is sweeping the nation!
Why is Concretevol so set in his ways? Stubborn is one thing but this is ridiculous.
Off topic.
This thread is about ME.
I must have missed the reality of the rant. Maybe that’s because it is coming from a soft and fuzzy sock puppet. It’s like a rant from a kitten. Not to be taken seriously.
You have arrived just as the thread is being Dimed. Another of those new verbs.
Oops, I didn’t realize that flippant comment was from an editor. I thought they had better things to do. They should be editoring the site and [Deleted for CoC]. (I thought I would do some editoring of my own. I didn’t write anything to delete but you don’t know that.)
Of course you like this thread. You are a Blockhead. You are a ConCon squish if that is possible.
Much more of an asphalt guy, actually. Smooth and black, like a cat.
Then why do you have that “Don’t tread on me” flag? I mean is if Asphalt for the downtrodden.
I couldn’t find the meaning of this online. Would you like to explain this? Are you smarter than Google?
Of course. But I don’t think you would understand.
I’m really quite impressed after following the link. All we need is a picture of Obama Exjonning.
RicoBabes,
I know you think Concretevol is a hunk and you are right but he is not that type of hunk. Let’s face it. He has no ‘stache.
I feel put off being told that I am dumber than a brick on a ConCon thread. I feel like firing some mortar your way.
Hey guys this kind of rapid post inflation is cool in a joke thread like the PIT, but it make a real thread like this kind of hard to read.
Luckily the Palin Post is still number one and keeping the site serious. I just can’t believe that this post has gotten 100 plus comments. This is a boring post, people. Stop commenting, now!
Hey WC, thanks for the question!
1. Weather has an enormous impact on concrete placement. I will try to make this as concise as possible because 100’s of pages have been written about this. Weather is probably the single most important factor in concrete placement or at the minimum the thing most planned for. Hot weather increased the temp of the fresh concrete causing it to: demand more water, lose slump (workability) faster and set more rapidly. Placing concrete is all about the timing of the chemical process of hydration and on a slab the proper finishing techniques during that process. High temps basically accelerate the time table on the overall process. Cold weather is basically the opposite effect but with some additional considerations. Concrete will freeze under the right conditions and there are other strength related issues to pouring on a frozen subgrade or cold steel etc. So generally to address these concerns many different chemical admixtures are used to speed up or slow down set time of the concrete besides using ice to batch with in the extreme heat or hot water in the winter. We also may make large pours in the summer in the middle of the night in order to avoid direct sun and heat during placement to prevent concrete from hardening too fast. Protection from the elements after placement or finishing may be a spray on chemical curing compound that inhibits the evaporation rate of the water in the concrete, curing blankets that are soaked with water to slow down curing rates in hot weather, or insulated concrete blankets in the winter to protect the concrete from freezing in extreme overnight temps.
2. The best thing is to avoid extremes on either end of the weather spectrum. Ideally you don’t want conditions that rapidly accelerate water evaporation from a slab like strong direct sunlight, high winds, a very dry atmosphere. Those conditions can cause problems with plastic shrinkage cracking, crazing and over all bad finish because of rapid set time.
3. Not exactly….”setting” is usually used to describe the transition of the concrete from a plastic workable material to a solid material. The “initial set” would be when the concrete first starts getting hard. “Curing” applies more to the concrete gaining design strength. Curing is what gives the concrete structural integrity, “set time” is in more in relation to workability of the concrete.
Wow, that has to be the longest freaking “concise” answer of all time!
Yes, but it doesn’t sound like concrete — at least when I drive over them.
Nor when I pronounce them.
My wife says I am incurable….I do not know what she means.
Mustangman,
Oh, did you miss the tongue and cheek comments in the OP? This was meant to be humorous too. The writer has sprinkled LOL through out his comments. I am confident that he can handle this. Relax and laugh a little.
The road to hell is obviously paved with socks. Everyone worth ten cents knows this.
I am grateful that boring post content isn’t part of the CoC! I am guessing there may be a rule change coming after this one. :)