Unless you’re on a deserted island, chances are you’re standing, sitting, or walking on concrete. Concrete is one of the most durable, sustainable, and versatile building materials on the planet, and its history of use dates back to 6500 BC. Some of the first records of concrete used came from the Middle East, where Nabatea traders built structures with concrete floors to help them survive in the desert.
While modern concrete is the product of thousands of years of experimentation and improvements with materials, its uses don’t stray too far from its first use. From homes to bridges, aqueducts, the ancient pyramids, and the Pantheon, the roadmap for how and what to build with concrete is well documented.
Today, thanks to Ready Mix Concrete and Portland Cement, a key component of concrete, construction utilizing this multifaceted product is at an all-time high. This blog will explore the different uses of concrete in contemporary construction.
The Different Types of Concrete
Today’s construction uses four different types of concrete: precast, tilt-up, flowable fill, and pervious concrete.
Precast concrete is poured, cast into form, and then delivered to its destination. This type is most often used for structural or infrastructure components.
Tilt-up, while similar to precast, is poured and cast already on the job site. Tilt-up concrete is set horizontally, typically in panels, then lifted into position. The National Ready Mix Concrete Association attests, “The greatest advantage of tilt-up construction over cast-in-place is the ease and speed of construction.”
Flowable fill is a readily available version of concrete that is most commonly used for backfill. Also known as controlled low-strength material, flowable fill is simple to place, doesn’t require compaction, and is easily adaptable for a Ready Mix supplier to match job requirements.
Pervious Concrete is a mixture without aggregates. Its high void content allows water and air to flow through it to help promote proper drainage.
Now that we understand the different types of concrete let’s dive into the specific uses of this revolutionary product.
Commercial and Residential Construction
Concrete is the backbone of commercial and residential construction in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and abroad. While concrete has several applications in these industries, it is extensively used in building construction. Thanks to its ability to bear substantial loads and resistance to fire, water, wind, and insects, concrete is the critical ingredient for home and building foundations, floors, walls, and roofs. The commercial construction industry utilizes tilt-up concrete to expedite the construction of walls for large, uniform commercial buildings and mixed-use flex-warehousing buildings.
Additionally, concrete’s thermal mass slows the heat transfer rate, resulting in a more energy-efficient product than a traditional wood-built structure.
Reinforced concrete, which incorporates steel bars or meshes, adds tensile strength, making it suitable for high-rise structures and complex architectural designs. The Ingalls Building in Cincinnati, Ohio, built in 1904, was the first high-rise building constructed in the United States.
Infrastructure Development
With its exceptional strength and resilience, concrete is an easy choice for infrastructure projects that demand longevity, such as roads, bridges, tunnels, and dams. Precast concrete is most often used for infrastructure components like drainage pipes, bridge girders, and crash barriers.
Roads and highways benefit from concrete’s durability and low maintenance needs, crucial for handling heavy traffic over long periods. Bridges and tunnels utilize reinforced and prestressed concrete to achieve the necessary strength and flexibility to support dynamic loads and overcome environmental stressors.
Dams, which require enormous strength to hold back large volumes of water, are typically constructed using mass concrete to ensure stability and efficiency. The Grand Coulee Dam is one of the world’s largest concrete structures, having used 12 million yards of concrete.
Marine Construction
Concrete’s resistance to water, anti-rust properties, and ability to set underwater make it ideal for marine construction projects. Harbors, piers, and offshore structures like oil rigs and wind farms are built with specialized marine concrete that can withstand the harsh conditions of marine environments, including saltwater corrosion and wave impact.
Thanks to precast concrete, the marine industry benefits from a more convenient construction process. The necessary components are cast on land, then conveniently delivered to the project site via barges and set using mobile cranes, eliminating the need for complex on-site casting and reducing logistical challenges.
Industrial and Environmental Engineering Applications
The sustainability and environmentally friendly factors of concrete, specifically Ready Mix Concrete, make it an excellent material for industrial and environmental engineering applications.
Concrete’s fire-resistant properties are crucial for the industrial sector when constructing factories, warehouses, and silos where flammable materials are handled. Like the commercial and residential industries, concrete’s ability to absorb and store heat makes it a valuable source of energy efficiency in industrial buildings.
Environmental engineers focused on sustainability, and conservation takes advantage of concrete’s versatility for projects such as concrete barriers and retaining walls to reduce erosion and manage flood risks. Pervious concrete gives engineers an eco-friendly option for paving projects to minimize surface runoff and improve groundwater recharge. Waste management facilities are another place engineers capitalize on concrete’s resistance to chemicals to help protect our planet.
Ready For Ready Mix? Contact Us Today!
Now that you understand the specific uses for concrete in construction and know that Ready Mix Concrete applies to all the uses we reviewed, it’s time to place your order. Ready Mix Concrete is measured in volume, and as the leading Ready Mix Concrete supplier in Northern Texas, we have taken the guesswork out of it. Using our concrete calculator, you can determine how much concrete you need for your project.
AMCorp is your trusted Ready Mix Concrete supplier east of Dallas, TX. Contact AMCorp today to discuss your project or request a quote.