In
the construction industry, concrete suppliers are sometimes compared to being
the life blood in any construction work, be it large-scale or regular projects.
Their main job is not just the delivery of the ready concrete mix but also its
production and preparation (mixing the material ingredients, etc.) which actually
is the most critical phase of all.
They
are tasked to fulfill the needed requirements in producing a good product. This
would mean satisfying all the important properties of concrete to produce the
expected strength, durability and water tightness.
Cement
Cement
is the first important material and the first requirement of a good concrete.
The other needed materials include the supply of satisfactory type of sand, the
coarse aggregate and the needed water.
With
these ingredients of the best graded, best shaped and clean aggregate, the
strongest and most durable concrete can be created. One item is needed though:
there has to be the right mix and the right process to produce the expected best
quality.
Where
there is too much fluidity, the result can have certain defects. The improper
handling of the needed items during the process of making the concrete can
cause segregation of the aggregate particles by sizes. The end result is a
poor, non-uniform concrete.
Curing
Producing
the best graded and the best quality of materials would also need the proper
curing process. Curing protects the material against loss of moisture during
the setting.
The
other very important factor to consider is the fact that the concrete has a
very high compressive strength. On the other hand, its tensile strength is low.
(Tensile strength is resisting stretching, bending, and twisting.)
Durability
Durability
is the characteristic of the material to resist deterioration due to exposure
of expected conditions. Concrete, even the ordinary kind, needs to be
watertight and weather-resistant when exposed to the elements. For example,
floors need to be abrasion-resistant. When concrete is strong, it is more
durable.
In
the manufacturing process, a good concrete needs a water-cement ratio that can
give a maximum strength consistent with the requirements in its workability. For
instance, maximum strength and durability cannot be achieved unless the coarse
aggregate is well-graded, is clean, hard and durable, and free from undesirable
components.
Water
Another
ideal situation is that an excellent mix is one with just the right amount of
water to hydrate the cement. Care needs to be taken to avoid the mix to be too
dry and stiff for pouring into the forms.
For
the mix to be fluid enough to be poured into forms needs to contain enough
water that is over the amount that will combine with the cement. This water is also like to evaporate
eventually and can likely leave voids or pores in the concrete.
Your
concrete suppliers would know exactly the correct ratio of the amount of water
to be used for the compete hydration of the cement, to achieve the consistency
of your concrete mix after taking into consideration the list of your own
project requirements where the concrete shall be used.
