Concrete is a man-made substance made by combining cement, sand, cement grains, and water in certain quantities to form a stone-like substance. Concreting is the process of mixing and placing the mixture in the desired spot. After water, concrete is the second most-consumed substance on the earth.
Concreting is the most important activity in the process of construction. It is used in the major structure of any project, including the base, pillars, walls etc.
WHAT ARE THE STEPS INVOLVED IN CONCRETING?
1. Batching-
This step involves measuring different components involved in the process of making concrete.
Batching can be performed in two ways:
Volume Batching where measurements are done by volume.
Weight Batching where measurements are done by weight.
2. Mixing–
All the components are mixed in the right proportions to achieve the right color and consistency.
3. Compaction-
it is possible that the air might get trapped in the mixture during the procedure, which is eliminated in this step. The process increases the strength of the concrete by making the bond stronger.
4. Curing-
It is a crucial step in concreting, as it enhances the strength of concrete by ensuring that the concrete retains its moisture for a certain time to complete the hydration process.
IS THERE ANY PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED PRE-CONCRETING?
Yes, there are some checks that need to be performed before you continue with concreting. They are discussed below:
The primary thing is to check the quality of concrete. A specimen of concrete is collected from the site of construction, and various factors like workability, cohesiveness and compressive strength are put into consideration while determining the quality of the raw material.
There Are Different Tests For Each Factor.
To check the compressive strength, a cube test is performed and to check the workability, these four tests are conducted:
- (1) Slump test
- (2) Compacting factor test
- (3) Vee-Bee test
- (4) Vibro-workability test.
IS CONCRETING EXPENSIVE?
The cost of concrete varies from place to place as the overall price depends on the cost of raw material. To quote the price of concrete per meter cube inspection needs to be done. There are some factors that help determine the cost of concrete. They are discussed below
- Where is the place
- The price depends on the total volume of concreting
- How tall is the building or structure?
- How easily are the raw materials procured?
- What type of quality of the cement is used?
- How is the cement being mixed?
DOES CONCRETING AFFECT THE ENVIRONMENT?
Yes, it’s a curse as much as it’s a boon. We can’t ignore the hazards we face because of concrete, just because it’s so widely used. Concrete is popular because of its strength and durability.
Adding up in all stages of production, concrete is said to be responsible for 4-8% of the world’s CO2. It also consumes 1/10th of the water in the industry sector. The people working in this industry are always at a high risk of suffering from respiratory diseases as well.
Conclusion
So, to conclude there is everything to know about concreting to know for you, all we can say is that Concreting is an elaborated but crucial process in the formation of a structure and to ensure that the structure lasts for years and years to come without showing any signs of deterioration, and to ensure safety and durability, certain procedures must be followed. In a way, concrete is a deep-rooted necessary evil in modern society, which we can’t get rid of even though we try to.
