A Useful Breakdown of Concrete and Concrete Mixing Plants
The history of concrete
Concrete has been available since the time of the Ancient Romans and Egyptians. At that time, there was a variety called Roman concrete, that was made out of quicklime, pozzolana, and pumice. Roman concrete is probably one of the best in the world. Evidence of the strength of the material could be found in Ancient Roman architecture still standing today. Back then, the material was created without the use of modern concrete mixing plants. Remarkably, the products have withstood the test of time.
What exactly is concrete made of?
Many of us ignore the effort that goes into concrete production. In fact, ask anyone and they probably won’t be able to tell you that there are numerous varieties, but that’s taking it one step ahead. Concrete is manufactured out of the mixture of the following ingredients: cement, water, aggregates, reinforcements, and chemical and mineral admixtures.
A lot of us believe that cement and concrete are one in the same. Even though terms can be used interchangeably, they are different things. Cement is a component of concrete, however the same cannot be said of the other.
What are the different varieties of concrete?
Contrary to popular belief, there are numerous types of concrete. The more common ones are the following:
– Regular cement – This is actually the material everyone seems to be familiar with. It’s the things that comes in sacks or packets and may be found at hardware stores.
– Pervious concrete
– Stamped concrete – This concrete can be treated while still wet to imitate the look of brick, wood, or cobblestone, among others.
Concrete mixing designs are intricate. It is also a relatively adaptable material. This is said because the style of concrete can be customised from project to project. For example, the concrete used for a modern day home will be different from the concrete made for a high rise building. Concrete designs are customised in line with the various demands including strength and weight requirements.
How is concrete made?
Before, concrete was created manually. The same goes for small projects today. For bigger projects, however, concrete plants are used. Concrete mixing plants are production plants where concrete ingredients are blended before being moved to a construction site. There’s two types of concrete mixing plants. The very first is a ready mix plant, where all ingredients are blended, except for water. The second, known as a central mix plant, brings together all ingredients in a central location. The final product of the former is then brought to a construction site.
Employing the use of such is beneficial to a construction site because of two reasons. One, it eliminates the potential risk of waste. It’s important to remember that for projects, an exact quantity is produced. This is accomplished so there’s no oversupply. The next benefit is that it eradicates inefficiency at the construction site.
Carolyn Loomis is a main contractor with links to many concrete plant. For more information on how to choose the right form of concrete for your home or business, please look at concrete mixing plant.