This article looks at all of the possible uses for ready mix concrete in the UK and how the product has evolved and how it can now be delivered to a pour site.
Ready Mix Concrete
Ready-mix concrete can be used in all different types of construction going from a simple concrete footings base in a small residential extension project right up to the biggest commercial construction sites on the planet. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the biggest continuous concrete pour ever was over 33,000 cubic meters to erect part of a dam project in India, narrowly beating the previous holder which was a pour at the site of the Wilshire Grand project in LA. It puts my 27 cubic meter pour for my home kitchen extension into a cocked hat quite frankly.
So, we’ve learnt that you can pour ready-mix concrete in massive or small quantities and for all types of building projects but in the recent past it’s becoming quite an artistic way of finishing surfaces in homes and offices alike. Now you can have concrete poured as the finished article for your floors, work surfaces and even walls can be left bare or polished to achieve the look you are after. With multiple types of finishing available, ready-mix concrete can be styled into any home or office and often can be a cheaper alternative to flooring. You can even get it heated so it doesn’t freeze your little pinkies.
Can It Be Delivered?
Ready-Mix concrete can be delivered to virtually any pour site you require these days with the use of extendable booms, concrete pumps and ground laying pipe networks which all enable the ready-mix concrete to get where it needs to be without going off. Your local ready-mix concrete supplier will arrange for a site survey and then get all the required machinery in place ready for your ready-mix concrete pour so don’t worry. Generally, a concrete pump, which is a small lorry that takes the concrete from the larger mixer lorries, will arrive first and then set up everything it needs to before the concrete arrives. Depending on the size of the ready-mix concrete pour you can have lorries leaving the foundry at specific times and queueing up at pre-arranged intervals to deliver the concrete before it loses any quality.
Depending on the size of the job in hand you may find that the traditional old wheelbarrowing of the ready-mix concrete to its pour site is sufficient, certainly, for the smaller loads this is the case and if you have the personal power to do it then it can save you money hiring the concrete pump.
How Is It Made?
Ready-mix concrete is made the following way and the quality depends on the skill of the machine operators back at the foundry and also the amazing features that new technology has brought into play. Water and cement are formed into a smooth paste, the density can be adjusted for different requirements, and then added to aggregates which include such items as rocks or sand. This then creates the ready-mix concrete and must be mixed correctly to form the perfect workability for the job in hand and also must be created with its durability in mind.
Biggest Building In The World!
The largest concrete building in the world is actually also the largest building in the world. The Burj Khalifa in Dubai stands at nearly 830 meters high and with concrete as the primary material it used over 330,000 meters cubed of our favourite building material to help construct it. The largest concrete structure in the World happens to be the Three Gorges Dam in China and used an amazing 27 million cubic meters of concrete to build it. I would assume therefore it’s the World’s heaviest structure too!
Understanding The Main Differences Between Concrete & Cement
Cement is a binding agent which can be used to stick together various building materials. The most popular type of cement in the industry and known to be Portland cement and Asphalt cement. The material is made in a dry powder form which changes when water is added. It will become harder and will bind to whatever is touching it.
Concrete is a durable building material which uses cement as one of its components. There are four main ingredients in concrete and these include cement, stone, sand and water. The less water that is added to a concrete mixture, the stronger that mixture will be.
The water used in concrete activates the cement which acts as the binding agent. Aggregates in mix are bound together by the cement. Mixes that use larger aggregates tend to be stronger than those with finer aggregates.
What Is Cement Used For?
Cement isn’t only used in concrete it is also used for mortar for plastering and grout for masonry. Cement as a bonding agent is never used on its own.
What Is Concrete Used For?
Concrete is the most commonly used man made material on planet Earth. Every construction project uses concrete due to it’s immense strength and durability. Concrete is used in everything from buildings, bridges and even drains.
What Are The Main Benefits of Cement?
Concrete is most widley used due to its unique advantages compared to others. Here are some of the main benefits:
- Concrete is economical
- You can cast it into shape
- It is water resistance
- High temperature resistance
- Abiloty to consume and recycle waste
- Application in reinforced concrete
- Low or Zero Maintenance required
- Multi mode application
What Are The Main Benefits of Concrete?
Concrete is so integral to our communities because it is a building material that is cost effective. The benefits of using this material include:
- Low carbon footprint
- Strong, Durable & Low Maintenance
- Resilient
- Energy Efficient
- Emission Free
- Versatile
- Ideal For Adaptive Reuse
- Cost Effective
- 100% Recyclable
- It is produced locally
We hope that you have enjoyed reading about ready-mix concrete and all the possible uses it has. It’s still the World’s go-to material for construction and civil engineering as well as domestic foundations and more recently finished items to create a unique and stunning look and feel. Thanks very much for reading all about ready-mix concrete Halifax.
