Concrete is a long-lasting and adaptable construction material used all over the world. It’s used on some of the world’s most unique concrete buildings and in many other jobs in construction. Whether you’re planning a project or just want to learn more about the material, the nine most common concrete uses are here.
Uses of Concrete in Construction
1. Concrete Dams
Concrete is the best choice for dam building because of its excellent unit weight strength and ability to withstand high water pressure. There are a variety of uses for dams, including water storage and the generation of energy.
2. Residential Buildings
Concrete is used to build the skeleton of small buildings, villas, and even high-rise buildings, from the foundations to the slabs and the columns and beams. This can be done with either traditional or modern formwork.
3. Commercial Buildings
When used in commercial structures, concrete is safer with a safety factor of 1.5 than most other construction materials. It is less expensive to construct than steel and needs less maintenance. Heat can also be easily transferred from inside to outside and back again, which minimizes the amount of electricity required to run a room conditioning system.
4. Roads or Driveways
Pavements made of concrete are more resistant to wear and tear than asphalt ones. Because of its durability and low maintenance cost, concrete is the ideal material for jobs in construction.
5. Concrete Bridges
For the construction of bridges, reinforced concrete’s strength, durability, flexibility, and resistance to weather and fire make it the ideal material choice. Different kinds of concrete, such as pre-stressed, post-stressed, and self-compacted, may be used to build bridges.
6. Foundations/Footings
The benefits of concrete make it an excellent foundation for many houses. Because it is strong and can hold a lot of weight, reinforced cement concrete is often used to build the foundations of both high-rise and low-rise buildings. Concrete basements also protect from severe weather, such as tornadoes and hurricanes.
7. Marine Construction
In addition to seawalls and other buildings exposed to the sea, concrete is often used to build jetties, groins, breakwaters, and bulkheads due to its properties when subjected to a Salt Freezing environment.
8. Fencing
Precast concrete fences have prospered from precast concrete’s advancements, allowing faster production and installation of precast fence components than the conventional concrete fence building. This also has the additional benefit of being aesthetically appealing and enticing to potential customers.
Having the right concrete construction materials is essential for constructing structures that will last for decades. With the proper materials, you can create high-quality mixtures and expert finishes for any job in construction that you undertake. At Kilgore Companies, we offer quality building materials to help you finish every project perfectly.