Due to its strength and versatility, concrete is used in a wide variety of applications in our modern society by 9Yard Concrete Contractors. The majority of public constructions in cities, including bridges, buildings, even kitchen countertops, are made of concrete.
But how much do you really know about the most popular building material in the world? Discover some startling truths by reading on.
#1 It is older than you may believe.
However, some archeological evidence suggests that early varieties of concrete may have existed as early as the Neolithic era, with ancient kilns being uncovered in the Middle East. We know for sure that concrete was extensively utilized by the Romans between 300 and 476 AD. The iconic Pantheon was constructed by the Romans using a material called pozzolana, a combination of quicklime, pumice, and volcanic ash. There is evidence that Bedouin traders built subterranean water reservoirs out of a substance comparable to concrete approximately 700 BC in order to survive the severe desert environment.
#2 There’s a lot of it.
Every year, concrete is produced in excess of 7 billion cubic meters. For every individual on the earth, that equates to one cubic meter of concrete. Concrete is produced twice as much as steel, aluminum, plastic, and wood combined worldwide. The US concrete manufacturing market is approximately $30 billion annually.
#3 It’s remarkably clever.
Due to the lack of radar technology during the Second World War, airplanes had a substantial advantage over ground forces. The British Army created the parabolic acoustic mirror as a solution to this problem, which enabled them to identify approaching enemy bombers. As you might have imagined, concrete was used to make these mirrors. These substantial concrete dishes, often known as “listening ears,” were created to reflect and concentrate the sound waves produced by an approaching aircraft engine. Sounds over the English Channel could be captured by microphones placed close to the reflectors. There are still many of these concrete dishes in existence today.
#4 We could use it to travel to Mars.
Some futuristic scientists have hypothesized that it would be feasible to employ moon dust to produce waterless concrete that will one day assist mankind in establishing a base on the moon. In order to store more supplies and construct long-distance spacecraft in low gravity, one way we can use the moon to make the route to Mars more feasible is by constructing a staging facility there.
#5 It doesn’t have to be boring
There are several applications for concrete that are more glamorous and fascinating, even if you aren’t particularly fascinated about civil engineering. In fact, there is an entire art movement centered around the discovery of beauty in concrete. The movement was started in 1930, and its inaugural exhibition included sculptures constructed entirely of concrete. Concrete as art gained popularity throughout the 1950s and 1960s, reaching a pinnacle with a sizable exhibition in Zurich in 1960.
Concrete is a material that can be utilized to create a seemingly endless variety of items, including furniture, jewelry, and statement interior pieces. The only real restriction on the usage of concrete is your imagination.