LECTURE : CONCRETE

Engr. Kim Carlo Agdan Lat

 What is Concrete?

Concrete is easily and readily prepared and fabricated

in all sorts of shapes and structural systems.
 The material concrete is often confused with the
material cement. Cement is one of the many constituents of
concrete, part of the glue that holds the other materials
together.
Concrete is made by mixing cement, supplementary
cementitious materials, water, fine aggregate (sand), coarse
aggregate (gravel or crushed rock) with or without
admixtures, reinforcement, fibres or pigments.
ADMIXTURES

Admixtures are chemicals added in very small

amounts to the concrete to modify the properties while the
concrete is still fluid and also after it has hardened and is in
service.
The quantity added is less than 0.2% and usually less
than 0.1% of the concrete weight but even at this low level,
admixtures have a very significant effect on the concrete
properties. These effects include:
1. Reducing the embodied carbon of concrete - because
admixtures are used to both increase workability and reduce the
water/cement ratio, and hence increase strength and reduce
permeability of hardened concrete, without increasing cement
content.

2. Increased fluidity: reduces noise and energy requirements

during placing.

3. Optimised mix design: reducing embodied carbon dioxide and

energy by enhancing the effectiveness of the cement component.
4. Reduced permeability: increases the durable life of the
concrete.

5. Reduced damage from harsh environments: including

marine, freeze-thaw and sub zero situations.

6. Improved quality: better finish and reduced service life

repair.
AGGREGATES

Aggregates are inert granular materials such as sand,

gravel or crushed rock that are an endproduct in their own
right. They are also the raw materials that are an essential
ingredient in concrete. For a good concrete mix, aggregates
need to be clean, hard, strong particles free of absorbed
chemicals or coatings of clay and other fine materials
that could cause the deterioration of concrete.
Aggregates typically comprise the largest proportion of
concrete, often exceeding 80 per cent by mass.
Coarse aggregates
Coarse aggregates are particles greater than 4.75mm, but generally
range between 9.5mm to 37.5mm in diameter. They can either be from Primary,
Secondary or Recycled sources.

• Primary, or 'virgin', aggregates are either Land- or Marine-Won. Gravel is a

coarse marine-won aggregate; land-won coarse aggregates include gravel
and crushed rock. Gravels constitute the majority of coarse aggregate used
in concrete with crushed rock making up most of the remainder.

• Secondary aggregates are materials which are the by-products of extractive

operations and are derived from a very wide range of materials.

• Recycled concrete is a viable source of aggregate and has been

satisfactorily used in granular subbases, soil-cement, and in new concrete.
Fine aggregates
Fine aggregates are basically sands won from the land or the marine
environment. Fine aggregates generally consist of natural sand or crushed
stone with most particles passing through a 9.5mm sieve. As with coarse
aggregates these can be from Primary, Secondary or Recycled sources.

Lightweight aggregates
Lightweight aggregates are manufactured from natural materials or from
the manufacture or processing of industrial by-products. The required properties
of the lightweight concrete will have a bearing on the best type of lightweight
aggregate to use.
BLOCKS
Concrete blocks products provide effective solutions for walls,
floors and below the ground.The high level of performance achieved
by concrete blocks, combined with an extensive product range,
ensures that cost effective solutions for wall, floor and below ground
constructions can be achieved.

The block production industry has responded to the

sustainability agenda with tangible improvements in processes and
use of constituent materials. Furthermore improvements to minimise
environmental impacts, and deliver economic and social benefits
pre dated the sustainability agenda.
CEMENTITOUS MATERIALS
Cementitious products comprise the glue that holds concrete
together.

Cementitious material includes:

• portland cement
• blended cements
• ground granulated blast
• furnace slag
• fly ash
• silica fume
• metakaolins
A. Portland Cement
Portland cement is made from four basic compounds,
tricalcium silicate (C3S), dicalcium silicate (C2S), tricalcium
aluminate (C3A), and tetracalcium aluminoferrite (C4AF).

B. Blended Cements
These blended cements are composed of one of five classes of
hydraulic cement for general and special applications, using slag, fly
ash or other pozzolan with portland cement, or portland cement
clinker with slag.
C. Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS)
In the blast furnace, magnetic iron ore (Fe3O4) and haematic
iron ore (Fe2O3) are fed along with limestone into a high temperature
chamber containing coke.

D. Fly Ash
Fly ash is the most widely used pozzolan in concrete. It is a fine
residue resembling cement that is a by-product of burning coal in an
electric power generating plant.