When we look all around us we see huge buildings, little houses, bridges, sidewalks, roads, walls, offices etc. how often do we stop to think how these came about? They have not always been there, they evolved with mankind. There was a time when clay had to be baked in ovens made especially for this purpose. Bricks made like this were in vogue even in the ancient Egypt. Nowadays the construction scene has changed tremendously. A landmark in the construction industry came with cement mixers. Today we take the cement mixers that we see in construction sites for granted but this was not always so. Long time ago, the Greeks mixed asphalt with water and other things to get a substance which when hardened became ideal for construction. This concrete like material was named "cement", which in Greek means "secure".
By Theodor Cartman
When we look all around us we see huge buildings, little houses, bridges, sidewalks, roads, walls, offices etc. how often do we stop to think how these came about? They have not always been there, they evolved with mankind. There was a time when clay had to be baked in ovens made especially for this purpose. Bricks made like this were in vogue even in the ancient Egypt. Nowadays the construction scene has changed tremendously. A landmark in the construction industry came with cement mixers. Today we take the cement mixers that we see in construction sites for granted but this was not always so. Long time ago, the Greeks mixed asphalt with water and other things to get a substance which when hardened became ideal for construction. This concrete like material was named "cement", which in Greek means "secure".
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Perhaps you have truly presented any serious thought to regardless if you are capable of make individuals residence maintenance? Even after it is just transforming a wall structure outlet or maybe a wax diamond ring about the bathroom, coming in contact with the wrong cable or departing a loose attach can open up a can of earthworms you don't want exposed. Make sure to still get informed on do-it-yourself. The subsequent advice and details may wind up being very helpful at some point.
Cement Patios For those who have a lot of dirt and grime inside your backyard or garden, it is actually straightforward to make your own routes making use of pavers and gemstones. You don't need to use any concrete, just place your jewels inside a good design or pattern in the area you actually need it to cover. This could give you a great healthy choose a garden, along with trying to keep the footwear muck totally free. You can change the atmosphere of a certain space by completing a home improvement project. It's simple to combine basic techniques if you fix up. The info under offers some outstanding guidelines to help you with cost-effective home improvement projects that will make your house appearance much better. Concrete Resurface the concrete walkways and driveways around your home for a new look. Replacing concrete can get incredibly expensive and doesn't add much to the curb appeal of your home. Consider resurfacing with cobblestone or brick which will cost a fraction of replacing concrete and will look like a million bucks. Would you like to be able to tackle repairs and renovations around the house with greater confidence? You can keep costs down and ensure the work is done right. Regardless, the following advice will help you. Concrete Resurface the concrete walkways and driveways around your home for a new look. Replacing concrete can get incredibly expensive and doesn't add much to the curb appeal of your home. Consider resurfacing with cobblestone or brick which will cost a fraction of replacing concrete and will look like a million bucks. If you have a lot of dirt in your backyard or garden, you can easily make your own pathways using pavers and stones. You don't need to use any concrete, just lay your stones in a nice design or pattern in the area you need it to cover. This can provide a nice and balanced look to your garden, as well as keeping your shoes dirt free. To update the appearance of your basement, opt for easily installed modular flooring - the durable carpeting is suitable for even the heaviest traffic, and will make the area more inviting by ensuring the floors are not ice-cold. Many companies offer affordable traction-backed carpeting squares in a range of colors and patterns. These can be laid directly over concrete with no advance preparation. Before starting any home improvement job you should make sure you have all of the necessary tools available. A missing tool can hold up a project. The effect of such delays can range from minor annoyance all the way up to serious expenses. Many home improvement projects (pouring concrete, for example) can be ruined if you lack the right tools at a critical point. When building walls, always build away from concrete. When the wood foundation in walls comes in contact with concrete, moisture bleeds through the concrete and goes straight to the wood. The moisture from the concrete caused the wood to grow and mildew and ultimately rot, causing major problems in the future. For an awesome impact on your homes curb appeal, think about resurfacing the concrete in the driveway and entry walk. Replacement of concrete can be very expensive, but for a fraction of that cost you can have it resurfaced in a multitude of colors and patterns which adds significant value to your homes curb appeal. Armed with this information, you will feel confident to repair, replace or remodel many aspects of your home. You do not need to hire others to help make your home look better. By using this advice, you can become a pro and make any repairs you need. If you need any concrete services in Denver, give Denver Concrete a call (303) 848-8847. There is a lot that can go wrong with home improvement projects. Remodeling or fixing up your home can make it a much nicer place to live and can raise your property value, if you do it correctly. This is a bit of advice we have put together for you to keep in mind on your next home improvement weekend. Driveways When it comes to home improvement, it is important to know which types of improvements will add to the value of your home and which will not. This will be important when it does come time to sell your house. Such general maintenance such as sealing the driveway and replacing the roof will not add to the value, however, an additional bathroom or a patio may. The outside of your home also makes an excellent spot for a home improvement project. Staining your driveway adds a beautiful touch to the front of your residence. Also, look to see if you need to fill any cracks or re-tar the driveway. Sometimes, the front of your home can be forgotten as you make improvements, but these projects can really add a lot to the aesthetic value of your property. Ugly driveways and concrete can be repaired without having to spend the time and money to replace them. Concrete refinishing has become a new alternative for that cracked driveway or walkway. They can apply a new topcoat, stains, imprint patterns or other design elements that will give your home a whole new look for less. By redoing your driveway with a new method of surfacing or simply redoing the existing surfacing is a great home improvement job that will make your house look better. Not only will you be able to admire your house, but everyone in the neighborhood will as well. When repainting the exterior of your home, use plastic sheeting and masking tape to avoid getting paint on unwanted surfaces, such as your windows. Use drop cloths to protect your driveway, porch, and shrubs from dripping paint. You will also want to use 3-inch masking tape to protect the trim while you are painting the siding on your house. As you can see, home improvement has the potential to do a lot of good in the aesthetics of your home as well as it's market value. Making some wise investments may really pay off in the long run and make your home more energy efficient and valuable. By Soroush Nazari
The interest of including sustainable development in construction is on the rise due to the changing systems of the world based on its economy, its environment and society. The most immediate and obvious way to achieve more sustainable construction today is by conserving new raw materials such as natural aggregates, and reusing construction and industrial wastes. For those who may not know, recycled concrete aggregate, better known as RCA, is an example of a common construction waste that is produced after demolishing concrete structures. Supplementary cementing materials (SCM) such as fly ash and slag are industrial by-products, which have a long history of use with Portland cement (PC) in concrete. Although Portland cement is the primary source used for construction, it has been found that it is no longer feasible and the continuation of its usage will no longer supply benefits in cost management and will further deteriorate the environment, consequentially impacting global society. The study of recycled concrete aggregate is interesting because it is a new mechanism used that could potentially impact society as a whole, economically, environmentally and socially. The aim of this article is to examine and provide an analysis of the technology used when recycling concrete aggregate, instead of using virgin aggregate, as is the current procedure in Canada. Due to the high urbanization of many cities in Canada, concrete is one of the most popular construction materials used in the country. Environment Canada has identified that two thirds of the concrete's production is used in basement's foundations for commercial and residential constructions. The basic components that produce concrete are aggregates, cement, water and some chemical admixtures. Concrete consists of 75% of the weight of all construction materials. Interestingly, construction and demolition waste in Canada amounts to 15-20% of all landfill materials. Due to the increase in waste in general, there needs to be a mechanism in places where waste can be reduced and one place is within the process of recycled concrete aggregate. By finding new applications for concrete waste, and creating a market for its use, we can bypass the need to consume virgin natural aggregate and simultaneously conserve landfill space. So far, RCA has been used based on a granular base, mixed with natural aggregate in concrete applications used for roads. Research has shown that the use of 30% RCA and 70% natural aggregate in high strength concrete produces concrete of similar strength as that containing only natural aggregate. Although the strength of RCA is similar, the concern is the shrinkage that occurs during the drying of RCA in concrete. New concrete made with RCA experiences creep and drying shrinkage that is 10- 30% greater than that of concrete made from natural aggregate. It has been found that the porosity level in RCA increases the levels of shrinkage when it is in the drying process. Furthermore, RCA is also known to have lower elastic modulus than natural aggregate, which also contributes to drying shrinkage and creep. Although these negative impacts occur, this does not mean that RCA cannot be used entirely. Previous to the notion of use recycled concrete aggregate, blended Portland cement (type I (SM) ASTM or CEM II-M), river siliceous sand, and granitic crushed stone (nominal size 6-20 mm) were used to make the concretes. Now, as a result of virgin concrete shortage, there is a use of not only RCA but recycled fine aggregate (RFA). For recycled concretes, recycled fine aggregate (RFA) is taken from crushed waste concretes of varying qualities, and made with granitic stone, and is used by replacing its contents (0%, 20%, and 30% by volume) of natural sand. In all concretes, an admixture acting as a water-reducer is used. The physical properties consist of either coarse and fine aggregates, they are determined by their fineness, gravity (saturated and surface dry - SGssd), water absorption, and material finer than 75 lm. Many countries have begun discovering the use of RCA but RFA has been found to be just as workable and each RCA and RFA have their benefits in varying industries. Several countries have recommendations for the use of recycled coarse aggregates in structural concretes, but the recycled fine aggregates (RFA) are discarded because they may produce modifications on the fresh and hardened concrete properties. It is not only the use of RCA that can reduce waste and help benefit the environment and the economy, but RFA is a precious material and has become more important in concrete production because of economic implications related to the shortage of natural sands suitable for that, and the need for a comprehensive utilization of such wastes, since the fine fraction remains when the recycled coarse aggregates are used, which storage and control is complex. Dr. Khatib, an environmentalist, illustrates that concrete made of 25% and 100% of RFA reduce compressive strength by 15% and 30%. However, another research at hand demonstrate that the compressive strength is not affected by the utilization of RFA, but the most significant changes within concrete with RFA is the higher drying shrinkage and less durability. Previous studies have been made on the use of RFA in concrete which show that the use of RFA over 50% produce significant decreases on the slump of the mixes at the fresh state, similar to those produced in concretes made with natural crushed sand. With every new process that arises, there are impacts to the economy, the environment and society. It is first interesting to understand the economic impact of RCA. The cost of aggregates typically is between 20 and 30% of the cost of materials and supplies, or 10 to 15% of the total construction cost of a roadway section. Due to the high quality of virgin aggregate and its known shortage, the price is increasing. Since there is a shortage in virgin aggregate and the price is increasing, access to this very important construction material is decreasing and an economical option is crucial. The good news is that concrete pavements are 100% recyclable. Concrete recycling has been used predominantly in Europe since the 1940s and in the U.S. since the 1970s. Concrete recycling for paving applications is now performed in at least 41 states and has the support of the Federal Highway Administration. The FHWA has found that reusing the material used to build the original highway system makes sound economic, environmental, and engineering sense. The cost of aggregate is one of the major costs of highway construction. As the sources of virgin aggregate becomes scarce, haul distances increase, which then cause additional supply costs. As the source becomes scarcer, the more the costs of using virgin aggregate will increase. The cost of producing RCA can be considered to be limited to the costs of crushing the demolished concrete and screening and backhauling the RCA. The cost of removal and demolition of concrete will stay the same, regardless of whether it is natural aggregate or recycled concrete (RC). However, the usage of RCA can produce savings in the hauling and disposal costs, especially if the RCA is produced on site. Moreover, the waste issue comes back when the economical benefits of RCA are discussed. Disposing of demolished concrete slabs in landfills is becoming expensive because the space available in landfills are also becoming limited. The recycling of concrete pavement annihilates the need to dispose the concrete, which results in cost savings and allows more room for our landfills to be filled with waste that cannot be recyclable. Other than impacts stemming from cement production, transport has a large influence on the environmental load which is then dependent on transportation distances and the transportation vehicle used. Regardless of the transport scenario, the impacts of cement and aggregate production life-cycle phases for RAC are slightly larger than for NAC. In consequence, the results present the fact that the impacts of cement and aggregate production phases are slightly larger for RAC than for NAC. There are varying studies that show that sometimes NAC has higher impacts on the environment and other studies show that it is RAC that could be costing more impact economically, environmentally and ending up affecting the social aspect as well. Total environmental impacts in terms of energy use, global warming, eutrophication, acidification and photochemical oxidant creation depend on transport distances and types. By observing a study done by Dr. Marinkovic on the matter, I understand that transport scenario 1 (transport distances of recycled aggregate are smaller than those of natural river aggregate) the environmental impact of RAC and NAC production in terms of studied impact categories is approximately the same and the benefit from recycling in terms of waste and natural mineral resources depletion minimizing is clearly gained. Whereas scenario 2 indicates (transport distances of natural and recycled aggregates are equal), the total impacts of RAC are larger, increase ranging from 11.3% to 36.6% depending on the impact category. This then trickles down to having the process of RCA also reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses (GHGs). Every activity that requires fuel and/or electrical power when producing virgin aggregate is inevitably responsible for the creation of GHGs and other pollutants. Concrete recycling helps to reduce the environmental impact of pavement reconstruction activities while helping to ensure the maintenance of our transportation infrastructure. Another environmental benefit that RCA produces is that it lowers the carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the air. Research at the University of New Hampshire has shown that RCA has significant value as a sink for carbon dioxide (CO2), a primary greenhouse gas, through the mechanism of spontaneous carbonation, in which atmospheric CO2 reacts with calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2), a by-product of the cement hydration, in the concrete mortar to produce calcium carbonate. In order to continue the wave of recycling, many participants of the Global North have been increasingly adding to their lifestyle. The recycling of concrete aggregate also needs to begin and be woven as a process in Canada and needs to be regulated under its government. One interesting factor about recycled aggregate is its use for an abundant resource at the moment, which is water. However, this precious resource is endangered for beginning to be scarce. Although there is a lot of water on earth, less than 3% is fresh and most of that is either locked up in fast-melting glaciers and ice caps, or is too deep in the earth to retrieve. The status of water being an endangered natural resource is in part due to the rise of global warming and the growth of agricultural, urban, and industrial needs, where water is increasingly used to keep up with the demand of various industries. Therefore, our resources need to be used more efficiently so if we do not cut back on the water usage and concrete in construction, then this industry could be adding to the woes humans will have to face when there is a shortage of water. Concrete companies and constructions sites, being the largest industrial consumers of fresh water, it is crucial that the concrete industry use water more efficiently. Approximately 100 L/m3 (20 gal./yd3) wash-water used by the ready mixed concrete trucks, we're using too much water for concrete mixing and the yearly global mixing water requirement of 1 trillion L can be cut in half by better aggregate grading and by greatly expanding the use of mineral admixtures and superplasticizers. Drinking water has been identified as being acceptable for making concrete so there is no harm in not using fresh water all of the time for recycled aggregate. As it stands today, there are no virgin aggregate resources available in Canada. If there are no virgin aggregates available for usage due to the shortage, then there will no longer be any concrete developed for construction. If there are no construction materials being produced, then as a result, there will be a shortage in jobs available not only in the construction industry, but in contracting, renovating and real estate. The effect of this crisis will also cause architects, civil engineers, construction workers, miners, and geologists to suffer cuts in their industries. This negative impact does not only effect society but most importantly, the economy. By replacing virgin aggregate with RCA and RFA, this will not only conserve our resources for future generations, but it would also aid the environment in beginning a cycle of recycling in a new sector where concrete is used. Tapping into a system that introduces a product that is a hundred percent recyclable like recycled concrete aggregate is a large movement forward in saving the environment because as shown, using virgin aggregate is not feasible due to its shortage but the methods used with this product is not helping the environment either. RCA can open up new spaces in landfills, it can conserve our water and disables toxins to disperse in our atmosphere. It is crucial that Canada jump on the bandwagon of recycling concrete aggregate as part of their goal for a "greener" society. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Soroush_Nazari By Sam D Goddard
Concrete is one of the most common materials used in modern construction; the reason for this is that there is no other material that can provide the same results as concrete. The use of concrete for construction provides some great advantages, such as ease of use and strength. When concrete is in it's liquid form it is very easy to use, but when it dries it provides incredible strength that will last for years. Despite the fact that concrete is a great source of construction material for everything from concrete floors, to building foundations, bridges and tunnels, there could be some problems with the concrete over time. Some issues that may arise include the overall strength of the concrete itself, as well as corrosion due to the concrete being exposed to excessive moisture; in addition, the surrounding soil composition could also cause some problems. Not only could low quality materials and improperly mixed concrete be costly later, but it can also be dangerous if the result diminishes the concrete's strength. To avoid these problems it is advisable to always use high quality concrete and to stay vigilant for possible problems with the concrete.Some of the most common concrete problems include,
Many of these common concrete problems can be avoided when the proper procedures and materials are used during construction. Concrete admixtures can help to ensure a perfect concrete finish, if they are used correctly. This is why you should always purchase your products from an experienced construction chemicals supplier. Concrete sealant is an important aspect of preserving a concrete finish. These sealants are designed to inhibit liquids from being absorbed by concrete. In addition, this will also help protect the concrete from water erosion or freezing, as well as from substances such as salts and acids. Making mistakes when laying concrete can be very costly; to avoid the added expense of having to repair the concrete at a later time, you should always ensure that you use the best concrete products available, and that you follow the proper procedure for laying concrete. Sam D Goddard has worked in the Construction Chemicals industry for many years and enjoys writing articles on the subject. Read more on Concrete, click here. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_D_Goddard |
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