Concrete Suppliers – Filling Out the Requirements of Good Concrete

These days of automation and speedy work, Concrete suppliers can be considered the life blood of any construction project, big or small. They are the ones that will not just deliver the ready concrete mix, they are also tasked to prepare and mix the raw material ingredients which are actually the most critical phases in the whole process. 

These suppliers would have to fulfill all the necessary requirements to produce a good product. All throughout, the suppliers would need to satisfy all the important properties of concrete which include strength, durability and water tightness.

Cement

The supply of good cement needed for the work at hand is the first requirement of a good concrete. The others would include the supply of satisfactory sand, coarse aggregate and water.

The mix with the best graded, best shaped, and the cleanest aggregate can create the strongest and durable concrete. However, this mix that is best in every quality cannot make a good concrete if it is not workable enough to fill in the form spaces thoroughly.

Too much fluidity, on the other hand, can result in certain defects. Improper handling of the items needed during the whole concrete-making process can cause segregation of aggregate particles by sizes, and can result in non-uniform, poor concrete.

Curing / strength

Finally, to achieve the best graded and best material of the highest quality, a good concrete mix needs to have materials that are properly cured. Curing is protecting the material against loss of moisture during the setting.

Another important factor to consider is that concrete has a very high compressive strength but its tensile strength (resisting stretching, bending and twisting) is low. Concrete, however, needs to have high tensile strength for the bending, stretching or twisting in beams, girders, and walls

Durability

This is the extent with which the material is able to resist deterioration caused by exposure to service conditions. Ordinary concrete exposed to the elements needs to be watertight and weather-resistant. The floors, for instance, must need to resist abrasion. The stronger the concrete is, the more durable it is.

Concrete that becomes durable needs a water-cement ratio that can produce maximum strength consistent with its workability requirements. The maximum strength and durability cannot be obtained unless the sand and the coarse aggregate is comprised of well-graded, clean, hard, and durable particles that are free from undesirable substances.

Water tightness

Ideally, an excellent concrete mix will be one with just the amount of water required for complete hydration of the cement. However, this would be a dry mix which would be too stiff for pouring in the forms.

The mix that is fluid enough to be poured into forms always contains enough water that is over the amount that will combine with the cement. However, this water will then evaporate eventually, most likely leaving voids or pores in the concrete.

The ideal concrete mix would be one made with just the amount of water required for complete hydration of the cement. These and some other factors have to be considered by your concrete suppliers.