Stouffville Mobile Redimix weighs in on the ten advantages of concrete as a building material. (Source: civildigital.com, 10 advantages of concrete as a building material | why concrete, written by Anand Paul, October 20, 2016, https://civildigital.com/10-advantages-concrete-construction-material-concrete/ )
First on the list, Anand mentions the economic benefit of concrete. Pat from Stouffville Mobile Redimix agrees, “concrete is the most widely used material, and its composition is made up of readily available ingredients. Therefore, it is inexpensive to produce, making concrete economically friendly. Other common construction materials are costly; however, that is not the only expense. Disposing of industrial material can cost a pretty penny as well. At Stouffville Mobile Redimix, our system allows our team of concrete pouring professionals to produce only what is required. Therefore, the client is paying for what is used and contributing to the zero-waste factor”.
Second on the list of advantages, concrete hardens at ambient temperatures. In other words, the current or present air temperature. Pat shares, “regardless of external temperatures, concrete can be produced to set regardless of the environment it is being poured in. As the article mentions, admixtures can be incorporated, allowing concrete to harden and gain its respective strength”.
Third on the list is concrete’s ability to be cast into any shape or form. Pat agrees, “concrete is easy to work with, and its versatility is due to its liquid character. Therefore, can be poured into intricate shapes or size. It makes it the perfect material for commercial and residential projects such as concrete pools, pool foundations, or patios. Although concrete is an easy material to work with and manipulate into shape, it does require skill and expertise to execute a project correctly”.
Fourth on the list of advantages, the energy required to produce or manufacture concrete is relatively low. Pat shares, “energy efficiency has become a popular topic amongst various industries and for a good reason. At Stouffville Mobile Redimix, one of the many benefits of our concrete delivery system is that the concrete is made onsite. Therefore, reducing the amount of energy it would normally take to produce construction material and reducing the amount of construction vehicles that would typically contribute to a project”.
Number five and six on the list are regarding concretes ability to resist water and high temperatures. Pat agrees, “it is common knowledge that concrete is the most durable and resilient construction material. This is why concrete is predominately used for outdoor structures. Concrete does not burn, dehydrate, crumble, erode, rust, or decay. Its ability to resist water and heat is unmatched by any other construction material”.
Number seven on the list of advantages is concrete’s ability to consume and recycle waste. Anand Paul brings attention to industrial wastes which can be recycled as a substitute for cement or be incorporated as an aggregate. Pat shares, “there are many ways construction material can be recycled and utilized for other purposes. Old concrete structures can also be broken down, screened, and reused. As time passes, more and more innovative methods for reducing waste and recycling materials are being brought to our attention as a society. At the end of the day, we all should have one goal in mind, which is to reduce environmental impacts due to industrial waste”.
Number eight on the list is the application in reinforced concrete. Pat agrees, “naturally concrete is the optimal choice to protect steel in corrosive environments. Concretes compressive strength is resilient. Combined with steel’s tensile strength makes for an indestructible structure that will stand the test of time”.
Concretes low to zero maintenance qualities is number nine on the list. Pat agrees, “concrete’s durability makes it less prone to reconstruction or costly repairs. Therefore, concrete is on the low end compared to other construction materials when it comes to maintenance. There are instances where a protective coating is required. As the article mentions, as long as it is redone on a routine basis, then the concrete structure will maintain its appearance”.
Lastly, concrete can be used in various application methods. Pat shares, “although there are many application methods, redimix concrete is the optimal choice. Mobile redimix concrete is perfectly batched to complement its environment and structure, exceeding expectations and promoting lasting lifecycles”.