INTRODUCTION TO CONCRETE

Concrete is a composite construction material

composed primarily of a) aggregate b) cement c) water.
Aggregate is generally course gravel or crushed rocks
such as limestone or granite. Cement serves as a binder
for aggregate. Water is mixed with this dry composite
which enables it to be shaped and then solidified and
hardened into a rock hard strength through a chemical
process known as hydration.
Concrete is widely used for making architectural
structures, foundations, brick/block walls, pavements,
bridges/overpasses, motorway/roads, runways, parking
structures, dams, pools/reservoirs, pipes, footings for
gates, fences, poles, and even boats.
The environmental impact of concrete is a complex
mixture of not entirely negative effects; while concrete is

a major contributor to greenhouse emissions, recycling of

concrete is increasingly common in structures that have
reached the end of their life.

HISTORY OF CONCRETE
The word concrete comes from the latin word
concretus (meaning compact or condensed). During the
Roman

Empire,

roman

concrete

was

made

from

quicklime, pozzalana, and an aggregate of pumice. A key

event in the history of architecture termed the roman
architectural revolution, freed roman construction from
the restrictions of stone and brick material and allowed
for revolutionary new designs.
Laid in the shape of arches, vaults, and domes, it
quickly hardened into a rigid mass, free from many of the
internal thrusts and strains that troubled the builders of
similar structures in stone or brick.

The widespread use of concrete in many roman

structures has ensured that many survive to the present
day.
Concrete additives have been used since roman and
Egyptian times when it was discovered that adding
volcanic ash to the mix allowed it to set under water.
Similarly, the romans knew that adding horse hair made
concrete less liable to crack while it hardened.