Concrete
Also known as: poured concrete
- 1Composed of aggregate bound by a cementitious matrix.
- 2Undergoes a curing process to achieve final structural strength.
- 3Distinguished from asphaltic concrete by its use of a cement binder.
- 4Ranked as the most widely used building material in the world.
Concrete is a composite material composed of aggregate bound together with a fluid cement that cures to a solid. It is the second-most-used substance, the most widely used building material, and the most-manufactured material in the world. Cement-bound concrete differs from the less rigid, less durable asphaltic concrete, which has a bituminous binder.
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Primary application and composite material
Portland cement serves as the essential binding agent that, when mixed with water and aggregates, creates concrete, the most widely used construction material globally.
Concrete is a versatile composite material formed by mixing aggregate with a fluid cement binder. Over time, this mixture undergoes a chemical process known as curing, which transforms the fluid paste into a rigid, solid structure capable of bearing significant loads.
A single concrete block, as used for constructionWikimedia Commons: File:Bloczek_betonowy.jpgExterior of the Roman Pantheon, finished 128 AD, the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. [ 16 ]Wikimedia Commons: File:Rome_(Italy,_October_2019)_-_275_(50589571796).jpgInterior of the Pantheon dome, seen from beneath. The concrete for the coffered dome was laid on moulds, mounted on temporary scaffolding.Wikimedia Commons: File:Pantheon_(Rome)_-_Dome.jpgOpus caementicium exposed in a characteristic Roman arch. In contrast to modern concrete structures, the concrete used in Roman buildings was usually covered with brick or stone.Wikimedia CommonsSmeaton's Tower in Devon, EnglandWikimedia CommonsCross section of a concrete railway sleeper below a railWikimedia CommonsSeveral tons of bagged cement, about two minutes of output from a 10,000 ton per day cement kilnWikimedia CommonsCrushed stone aggregatesWikimedia Commons As the most manufactured material on Earth, concrete is essential to modern infrastructure. It is distinct from asphaltic concrete, which utilizes a bituminous binder rather than cement. Because of its durability and structural integrity, cement-bound concrete remains the primary choice for large-scale construction projects worldwide.