Concrete Facts: 8 Things You Didn’t Know…

Rose Paving / August 29, 2012

Our Trivia Series continues this week with a collection of fun facts you may not have known about concrete.

Concrete is a mixture of Portland cement, sand, rock, water, and chemical admixtures.
There are as many different concrete mix designs as there are uses for concrete. The design mixture will vary based on the application.
High early strength concrete is one mix design especially useful for concrete pavement repairs, as it reaches higher compressive strength earlier in its lifecycle, allowing roadways to be re-opened faster than with conventional mixes.
“Curing” is one of the most important steps in concrete construction, because concrete hardens and gains strength over time. If proper cure time is not adhered to, early load exposure may result in a compromised surface area.
During the curing period, new concrete must be kept moist to assist the hydration process. This can be done with the use of hoses or sprinklers, wet burlap, or commercially available curing compounds which seal in moisture.
When dealing with parking lots and/or other roadways, traffic should be re-routed around the affected areas for 4 to 7 days based on the contractors’ recommendation and mix design.
PSI, or “pounds per square inch,” is the measurement used to describe the compressive strength of concrete.
Various reinforcement materials such as rebar, wire mesh, fiber mesh, and smooth dowels can be used to help resist external force.

Not only are we well versed in concrete repair and reconstruction, we are the asphalt pavement experts. Contact us to learn more!