* CONCRETE

SUSTAINABLE
CONSTRUCTION
NATHAN SCHOOLEY & DARWIN TUAZON
 What is Concrete
● Concrete is a composite material used in many construction applications worldwide. It is
composed of both fine and coarse aggregates bonded together with cement paste that cures
over time
● Concrete is the second most used substance used in the world after water
● It is the most widely used building material worldwide
● Strength is classified in pressure it will resist MPa, commonly in 20-35 MPa in typical
construction uses
● Different types of admixtures used for different scenarios
○ Superplastisizer - Reduce Water (By 30% or more) & Increases compressive strength
○ Set-Retarding Admixtures - Can delay/restart hydration process for certain scenarios
○ Air-Entraining Admixtures - Improves durability of concrete exposed to Freeze and
Thaw
 How is Concrete Made
● Concrete is made through a mixture of water, aggregates, and cement. The aggregates
and cement come in dry form, the cement is a powder, then water is slowly added to it
to form the paste
● From this the concrete mixture is dried to a solid form. This happens due to a chemical
reaction between the cement and water and it coats and binds the aggregates together
into its hardened state
● Percentages of Total Volume in a wet mix:
○ Aggregate - 60-75%
○ Cement Paste - 25-40%
○ Within the Paste:
■ Cement - 7-15%
■ Water - 14-21%
■ Air - 1-8%
 Concrete Properties
● Very strong in compression
● Weak in Tension
● Can be reinforced with steel to increase its tensile strength
● It is very heavy
● Can be expensive (Darwin will go through this)
● It can crack often and lose strength
● Can be easily molded, especially the wetter the mix
● Easily Recyclable and Reusable
● Good water resistance
Construction Applications of Concrete
● Reinforced Concrete: Retaining Walls, Foundation Walls, Slab on Grade, Beams,
Columns and so on
● Asphalt Concrete: Used for Roadways as it has a strong compressive strength
● Precast: Storm and Sanitary systems, Manholes, Precast Walls & Slabs, Culverts,
Headwalls and many more
● Curbs & Gutters, Sidewalks, Patios etc
● Prestressed Concrete: Preloaded with compressive forces to counter tensile forces.
Holes inside the slabs
 Sample Suppliers of Concrete in
Niagara Region

.
.
25 Niagara Stone 2125 Fruitbelt 2300 Steeles 6509 Airport
Road NOTL Parkway, Niagara Avenue West, 4th Road,
80 Federal Road Falls, Ontario L2J floor Concord, Mississauga ON,
Welland 0A5 Ontario L4K 5X6 L4V 1S7
 Recycling Concrete
Crushing larger pieces Step 1
of concrete Screen and remove
impurities from
Step 2 concrete (i.e, steel,
plastic, trash etc)

Separate concrete into

large and small Step 3
aggregates
Clean aggregates to be
Step 4 prepped for use
TO
RECYCL
E?
Walker Industries
End