Why Concrete is so Widely Used

Concrete still remains the building material of choice for most structures and is the single most widely used material throughout the world.  Its properties are such that it resists weathering, erosion and other natural disasters, and requires very little maintenance.  Dating back to early Egyptian times, humans have mixed together the basic ingredients of concrete from sand and gravel, a cement-like binder, and water for thousands of years. 

Concrete’s continued popularity comes from the fact that it is not only economical but it is very strong and durable.  When compared to wood, asphalt or other building materials, concrete outlasts them by decades and even gains strength over time.  Concrete is an extremely versatile material that is used to construct buildings, bridges, dams, tunnels, pavements, runways and roads.  Additionally concrete is extremely fire resistance so it is a safe material to use.

The raw material used to make cement, which is a part of concrete, is limestone, and is the most abundant mineral on earth.  Also concrete can be made from waste byproducts that come from power plants, steel mills and other manufacturing facilities such as fly ash, slag cement, and silica fume.

The concrete industry is very large, and given the nature of concrete, it is locally produced.  It is estimated that the industry provides more than two million jobs to Americans.  Generally the concrete used on a particular project is produced quite nearby and very little cement or concrete is traded or transported internationally.  Most cement travels by trucks and the remainder by barge or train. 

Furthermore concrete is environmental friendly.  Decades later, concrete can be recycled into an aggregate that has a hundred or more different uses.  The concrete is easily crushed and recycled to be used for such things as new concrete pavement, a road base, or backfill. 

Sources:

wbcsdcement.org/index.php/key-issues/sustainability-with-concrete/properties-of-concrete

concretenetwork.com/concrete/greenbuildinginformation/what_makes.html

 

 

The Conco Companies are a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western United States serving Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Colorado.  Our concrete services include commercial, educational, parking and other construction development as well as public works projects and highways.