From the mid-1800's when concrete began to gain traction as the standard building material, innovation has transformed it from a costly, slow, handmade process to the inexpensive, sophisticated, industrial process it is today. Here are a few of the technologies that have made that transition possible along the way.
Industrial scaling of component development Before construction machinery was invented, cement and concrete needed to be made by hand. Cement itself requires limestone, sand, and clay to be fired in a kiln at 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit while adding iron and gypsum. This was once a labor-intensive process. Now cement is produced at an industrial scale with kilns up to 12 feet in diameter and up to 40 stories tall. Innovations in cement and concrete production have worked in tandem with the increasingly efficient mining technology used to acquire cement's raw materials and the aggregate needed to combine with the cement to make concrete. These technologies have allowed more concrete mix to be prepared with less expense than ever before. Reinforced Concrete Concrete itself is susceptible to cracking and can break when torque is applied to it. You would be able to observe this concept if you held a small piece of concrete in your hands and twisted it apart: it is easy to snap into two pieces. However, you would not be able to squeeze and break it at all. This is where concrete's strength lies. Concrete can withstand extremely high compressive forces. This makes it ideal for holding up entire buildings, but vulnerable to cracking if soil shifts. The solution to this is reinforcing concrete with steel that has a high tensile strength, which combats any bending or shifting a building may experience. This technology was originally developed in the late 1800's and has evolved into pre- and post-tensioning systems that allow for less concrete to be used, while still being able to handle greater loads across more distances. Project planning software One of the more recent innovations which has accelerated the efficiency of concrete construction is construction management software. Software now assists in many of the project planning phases, including the design and engineering of the structure. One of the major software components that has allowed concrete contractors to be nimbler and cost effective is material requirement planning, or MRP. This software system considers a contractor's current inventory and production schedule to determine a more precise volume of components that need to be purchased for every project. The Conco Companies goal is to be the top supplier of concrete services in the Western U.S. and to bring our expertise and professionalism to each project. We continue to upgrade and expand our facilities to better serve the growing market for commercial, industrial, educational, parking structure projects and other development. For the best value and quality, trust your project to one of the area’s leading lightweight concrete contractors.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
October 2021
Categories
All
|