What You Can Do With Roller Compacted Concrete?

To those still unfamiliar with construction terms, there is an innovation being implemented—-known as roller compacted concrete; in  a way, it is a special blend of concrete as opposed to the traditional one. Essentially, this kind of concrete is a mixture of fly ash, water, sand and common additives. When all  these things are mixed up then you will get something that is drier in form and one that is essentially without any slump in it, which is great for use in any concrete works.

The use of the roller compacted concrete is somehow similar to that of paving; such that the material is delivered through the use of dump truck or that of conveyors. Vibratory rollers are also being set in place in order that the material becomes even more compacted. Thus, there are a lot of construction projects that will certainly benefit when proper use of the roller compacted concrete is utilized.

Thin RCC Pavements In Use

The question of how thin roller compacted concrete (RCC) pavement can be placed is being asked more frequently.  As residential and commercial applications are finding a fit with RCC, thinner pavement sections are being constructed.  Traditionally, RCC pavements have been installed at large industrial facilities (e.g. sea ports, tank hardstands, logging yards) requiring pavement sections as thick as 18 to 22 inches, constructed with multi-lift placement techniques.  However, RCC’s popularity is growing fastest in applications that require thinner sections.

The Portland Cement Association’s (PCA’s) RCC Pave software encourages a 4-inch minimum pavement thickness, for constructability reasons.  Many projects have employed 4 and 5 inch thin RCC pavement throughout the U.S., including:

• Plant Vogtle; Waynesboro, GA (2011); parking – 4 inches
• Volkswagen Auto Manufacturing Plant; Chattanooga, TN (2010); parking – 4 inches
• Jack Daniel’s Distillery; Lynchburg, TN (2011); parking – 5 inches
• Honda Auto Manufacturing Plant; Lincoln, AL (2000 & 2004); access roads – 5 inches
• A Retail Lumber Store; Ft. Payne, TN (1998); lumber storage yard – 5 inches
• Saturn Auto Manufacturing Plant; Spring Hill, TN (1989); parking – 5 inches

Why choose RCC?  Because RCC can be designed and placed for lower cost than an equivalent asphalt/flexible pavement on many projects–and provide a higher level of performance.  CCT can help road agencies and engineers determine if RCC is the right choice for a project.  Give us a call. Read more…

On the immediate uses of concrete, it is important for you to see that there are concrete tiles which you can install in your homes to make it more dashing than it was once. This will help enliven the interior aspect of your home, and in a way will make it look more livable than it should.

Granada Tile Fez Cement Tile In The Kitchen of Emma Magazine’s Editor

Many of our most popular concrete tile designs, like our Fez encaustic tile, our Cluny concrete tile and our Serengeti cement tile are in stock and ready to ship out to you immediately! Or you can have any of our cement tile designs custom colored for your tile project, like the Badajoz cement tile above, which has been custom colored in black and white. The qualities that make Granada Tile’s cement tiles the choice of award-winning coffee shops and hot restaurants around the country — along with their beautiful designs and vivid colors, our concrete tile is long lasting, easy care and low maintenance — are the same ones make it perfect for your home tile project, whether used as patio tile, porch tile, kitchen floor tile, kitchen backsplash tile, bathroom tile, shower tile or laundry room tile.  Start by visiting our cement tile shop to peruse our large selection of in-stock handmade master-crafted cement tiles and call us today at 213-788-4238 to discuss which of our encaustic tile designs would be perfect for your home or restaurant project.

We’re always curious to see what other tile designers are doing, especially when they are moving in a similar direction to what we’ve been exploring.  Lately, in a desire to explore more way to create cement tile designs, we been working to create embossed cement tiles which we will be introducing shortly.  So we were intrigued when we spotted the cement tile designs of British designer Lindsey Lang. Borrowing from the archives of the London Underground, she created these patterns in embossed cement.  It seems the old saying is true: great minds think alike! Read more info on this site: http://ift.tt/2ftxBho.

It is certainly an important point to understand that there are so many benefits that you can derive from concrete. And seeing that you can even beautify your interior with the use of such will definitely entice you to making the most of what it can offer. There are definitely a lot of great things that will come your way with all these concrete when properly chosen.

The post What You Can Do With Roller Compacted Concrete? appeared first on ThermoConcrete.

Common Facts You Need To Be Familiar with When It Comes To Concrete

If you want to be guided when it comes to the construction works that you are undertaking, it pays that you are familiar with some important words. Understanding the basic definitions about concrete and its uses will make you see a much bigger picture of it. You will therefore enable yourself  to utilize your understanding so that you will get an in depth overview of when it comes to construction works.

When you are well informed with all construction details, then it will be much easier for you to get an informed decision in any matters that will come your way in the course of the construction process. You will essentially get the upper hand in whatever it is that you are going to decide along the way.

Some Basic Definitions Used In Cement And Concrete

A few useful basic definitions follow, since the meanings of the words ‘cement’ and ‘concrete’ are rather blurred in general use.

Portland Cement: Material made by heating a mixture of limestone and clay in a kiln at about 1450 C, then grinding to a fine powder with a small addition of gypsum. Portland Cement, the main subject of this site, is the most common type of cement – ‘basic cement’, if you like. In particular, ordinary Portland cement is the normal, grey, cement with which most people are familiar. Other types of Portland cement include White Portland Cement and Sulfate Resisting Portland Cement (SRPC).

Clinker: Portland cement is made by grinding clinker and a little added gypsum. Clinker is a nodular material before it is ground up. The nodules can be anything from 1mm to 25mm or more in diameter.

Cement: Usually taken to mean Portland Cement, but could mean any other type of cement, depending on the context.

Aggregate: Cobbles, pebbles, gravel, sand and silt – the ‘rock’ component of all particle sizes in concrete.

Concrete: Synthetic rock made using cement (usually, but not necessarily, Portland cement) mixed with aggregate and water. Read more!

So how does the concrete being extracted so that it can be used in any construction works? That is really an interesting question that needs to be put to rest. Mining concrete is an important aspect that needs to be tackled to fully get a good look at its astonishing advantage.

Sand Extraction For Concrete

And creating all the concrete relies on mining sand and gravel, collectively known as aggregates. Aggregates are extracted from the earth at an astonishing rate – exceeding 40 billion tons. A year. In the US, for example, the market for mined sand has been growing at 10% annually since 2008, meaning it is a billion-dollar business annually.
Now, although the deserts are awash in sand, it is considered unusuable for making concrete. This happens because it is subject to so much wind erosion, causing the grains to become too round and blow away. (Which is why Dubai, located in the desert, ships in sand for its beaches from Australia.) Desert sand also fails to bind well. Instead, we source the bulk of our sand from land quarries and riverbeds, so much so, that we’re running out and have turned to the coasts. “River and marine aggregates remain the main sources for building and land reclamation,” notes a recent report by the United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) on the dwindling sand situation. Details explained here: http://ift.tt/2fK8Uio.

These few facts will give you a deeper perspective to what concrete is really all about, it will encourage you to get a whole picture of how it is mined and, in the process, being utilized. There are so many great things that you will learn from the use of concrete which you can apply during the construction works in your property.

The post Common Facts You Need To Be Familiar with When It Comes To Concrete appeared first on ThermoConcrete.

What Is Concrete Recommended For?

There are definitely a lot of uses that concrete has for anyone in today’s world. In fact, concrete plays a major role in development in such a way that it is a material that is second most consumed in the world. You will see that it is heavily used in major economies to propel them to development. That is why, there are a lot of infrastructure projects such as schools, dams, roads and what not that are being constructed, thanks entirely to concrete.

At the context of your very own home, you can make use of concrete in repairing any cracks or breaks that you see in your property. Any broken pieces will surely be repaired in no time when utilization of concrete is further maximized.

Cement Cove

If you have any broken pieces of concrete, or you need to repair some major mortar joints, this is the stuff you need. And you don’t need to mix this with water. It comes pre-mixed. Keep that in mind as other repair compounds may require that you actually still mix them with water.

The only time I wouldn’t recommend this, is if you need to use it where you might be driving your vehicle. It’s not recommend for that. Small cracks in your driveway yes, but for major driveway repairs, you’ll need something else.

Which Product is Recommended?

The particle mix I recommend is the Dap 32611 Phenopatch Pre-Mixed Patch.

This particular compound is very high strength and used primarily on cracks or breaks in your concrete.

You can purchase it in several different packs, however each jug carries 1 qt of compound.

The convenience is great.

Instead of having to mix your own cement with a mixer, these pre-mixed products are super convenient.

They should not completely replace the need for standard concrete, however for patching and small repairs, they’re definitely helpful. Read more facts here…

It would be essential that you find experts that will help you in the testing and evaluation processes of the concrete that you have with you, so that you will be able to get the high quality ones. You will see that the best concrete are those that will make you enjoy its functionality for a long period of time. Thus, carefully selecting which is the best, as aided by an expert, will put you at an advantageous position.

Concrete Expert Witness: Concrete Repair and Testing Evaluations

Building Forensics International utilizes consultants from various fields of expertise. The video is from one the consultants we refer when waterproofing issues arise involving concrete/cement issues.  American Restore and it’s founder Jim Andrews has vast experience when it comes to tipping floors and all types of concrete warehouse slabs of any kind.

Waterproofing and repairs of concrete slabs requires expertise and experience to get the job done correctly.  This videos shares information on many aspects of concrete repair and testing of concrete slabs.

BFI hopes you take the time to watch this informative video.  If you are in need of a concrete expert for litigation, investigation or concrete expert witness assignments please consider calling Building Forensics International.  More to read here: http://www.buildingforensicsintl.com/single-post/2016/06/13/Concrete-Expert-Witness-Concrete-Repair-and-Testing-Evaluations.

All these details will guide you in the way that you choose the kind of concrete you must make use of in your property or any construction works for that matter. Having an understanding about all these details will lead you to the right path in choosing what kind of concrete suitable for any construction projects you have at the end of the day.

Image Credits: https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSlE8hwY3X16nzwKsvCbruJftDtHWdjLLU8aDGU63AN6GF6w2p0-Q.

The post What Is Concrete Recommended For? appeared first on ThermoConcrete.

Equipments That Aid In the Use Of Concrete

Concrete is a product that is seemingly used everywhere. It is a product that is heavily consumed by different advance and advancing economies as it aids in development and progress. With the use of concrete, there are so many infrastructure projects that you can come up with. With that in mind, you will therefore see a greater picture on how you can put to use concrete so that it will give you so much advantage.

Apart from the use of concrete, you see the fact that different equipment must be utilized in order that the concrete will be put to good use. Thus, choosing the right kind of equipment will certainly bring so many advantages in the event of your ongoing construction.

Get The Facts On Cyclonaire’s Cement & Concrete Solutions

To provide you with a better understanding of how our solutions can fit your application, Cyclonaire has created a Product Guide for Cement & Concrete Applications.

The guide provides an overview of our top quality cement industry solutions, including:

• Blower Packages: Cyclonaire’s custom-built intermediate pressure blower packages power both vacuum loading and pressure conveying applications.

• Bag Dump Stations: Our bag dump stations feature self-contained fan and self-cleaning pulse jet-style filtration dust traps for recycling.

• C&C Dust Reclaim System: The automated C&C Dust Reclaim System preserves air quality and conserves valuable material by capturing dust from silo-filling operations and automatically returning it directly to the source silo.

From railcar and silo conveying to cement blending — to convey systems and portable conveying systems — Cyclonaire has a solution for your cement and concrete application.  Read more here…

At home, you can benefit so much from the innovation that has been infused in the concrete of today. Such that there are DIY projects that you can come up with, so that you can fully maximize the concrete and put it to good use in beautifying your interiors per se. Concrete now is being utilize in broad spectrum, and has brought benefits to many homeowners.

Concrete Countertop DIY

When you come to a right angle (like where the backsplash meets the counter) it helps to use a wide putty knife and pull the wet cement up from the countertop on the backsplash part and towards yourself away from the wall on the countertop. Pulling the cement in the opposite directions helps give the corner a cleaner look.

The hardest part of this whole job was the rounded angle on the top of the backsplash. I had to use the small putty knife to put small amounts of wet concrete on the rounded edge, smooth it out the best I could, but honestly, I shaped most of that area during sanding. If you’re ever in doubt, put too much concrete on-you can always sand off excess later, but you can’t add more without mixing another batch. Read more here: http://ift.tt/1nx6Qc6.

These things will essentially guide you to fully make sure that as you use concrete, it will not only improve the aesthetics of your house, but more so of its functionality. The concrete that you are seeing are being further researched and innovated so that more and more homeowners will get to enjoy the many kinds of benefits that it has for everyone.

Image Credits: http://ift.tt/2ejpqne.

The post Equipments That Aid In the Use Of Concrete appeared first on ThermoConcrete.

Concrete Making And How It Works

Concrete is a word that was derived from “concretus”, the Latin for which is compact. This is basically a mixture of a lot of materials namely cement, coarse aggregate, chemical admixtures, water, sand, and gravel, otherwise known as crushed stone. If you mix this material with water, it will create a fluid which can be molded into pretty much any shape you like. It will then solidify into stone soon after. Hydration is what this process is called. When mixed with water the other constituents of the cement then bond together. This material is used for architectural structures such as fences, bricks, parking structures, overpasses, bridges, runways, roads, highways, foundations, walls, poles, pillars, roofs, and many more. Below is a layman’s explanation of how concrete making works and how it has benefited the world as we know it:

There is actually a pretty accurate measurement for the strength of concrete. This is determined by the amount of force that can be applied to the concrete before it gives or breaks. The force is needed is considerably strong and it is the reason why people have been making use of this essential material for a long time. This is how some manufacturers are able to create concrete that is much stronger than those of other companies.

Here are the ways the different kinds of concrete are made:

– Re-enforced concrete is developed through casting the concrete on steel bars and rods making them even stronger than before. Basically, this material is being used in the construction of huge buildings in your city.
– Pre-stressed concrete is pretty much the same as one discussed above only this time its cast around cables held together by hydraulic jacks. As it hardens, the jacks are then removed and resulting in concrete getting compressed by cables.

– Air-entrained concrete is basically made by using the fatty or resinous material and adding it to the concrete as part of the mixture. This basically creates bubbles that act like absorbers of shock.
– Cold-resistant concrete is made by following the necessary rules needed to accomplish the objective from beginning to end. The ratio should just be enough and you should always do your research as well. You cannot mess up the ratio because this would ruin your objective in so many ways. Once you follow the right amount that is prescribed then you would be able to see how effective the results are. This is something that can be used in the cold and low temperature would not damage it in any way. The cold would not affect the surface or make it dangerous by freezing it. It would be immune to these sorts of effects. This kind of concrete is sealed tight and water would not be able to penetrate into it in any way at all.

There are also ways of concrete installation which you would be able to implement in order to make your project a success in terms of quality.

The post Concrete Making And How It Works appeared first on ThermoConcrete.