Different Types of Concrete that Civil Engineering Companies Recommend for Construction

Concrete is one of the most versatile and important materials used in the construction industry. It is used to build many things, from skyscrapers to sidewalks. If you are incorporating this material around your commercial property or inside it, you’ll want to consider these types recommended by civil engineering companies. 

Normal

One of the most common building materials today is normal concrete, a material made up of aggregate, water and cement. Also called normal weight concrete, this material has a setting time of around 30-90 minutes and is relatively lightweight compared to other materials. This goes a long way in reducing dead load and increasing building efficiency, since hauling and handling costs won’t be as high.

Lightweight aggregate concrete is similar to normal concrete, only it has better thermal properties, fire ratings, freezing and thawing capabilities and less micro-cracking. Some of its applications include lightweight concrete masonry, low-density precast concrete walls, concrete roofing tile and insulating concrete fill.

High-Strength

High-strength concrete is unique and just as important as normal concrete in that it usually contains silica fume, which prevents the formation of free calcium hydroxide crystals from developing in the mixture.

These crystals tend to reduce the strength of the aggregate bond. This material can resist loads that normal concrete simply can’t support. Because of this durability, it is used in a wider variety of applications. It is most commonly used for large buildings and bridges, structures that need to support a lot of weight.

High-strength, high-performance concrete is also economical for high-rise buildings, in particular, because it efficiently carries a vertical load to a building’s foundation. Column size is thus reduced, meaning less concrete and fewer frameworks are required for extra cost savings.

There are so many great and practical projects you can complete for your business using concrete. In order to use this versatile material to its full potential, consider the different types and their properties. Contact civil engineering companies if you are not sure what material to use. They work with concrete on a daily basis and know what properties you’ll need, depending on what you are building. Let their expertise guide you to the perfect building materials that are both economical as well as fit for purpose.

Sources:

http://www.silicafume.org/pdf/reprints-whyhpc.pdf
http://www.cement.org/cement-concrete-basics/concrete-materials/cement-types