Concrete is a wonder material for construction. If you’ve read our previous blogs, like the ones about commercial concrete floors or concrete foundation work, you already know this!
Apart from its straightforward applications, concrete has more of a place in both the past and present than you may realize.
Different forms of rustic concrete have been among the most common building materials for more than 2,000 years. Over that time, it has been part of some amazing projects.
Learn about some of these and other interesting concrete facts below!
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Concrete can withstand pressure at levels up to 20,000 pounds per square inch in some cases. More common construction-grade concrete normally ranges from 3,000 to 7,000 pounds per square inch.
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A rare natural deposit of concrete can be found in Israel – it was formed more than 12 million years ago!
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Reinforced concrete architecture is more sturdy than steel-framed buildings due to the higher rigidity of concrete – it won’t bend nearly as much in wind or an earthquake.
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Seattle’s Space Needle was, at the time of its 1962 construction, the largest concrete pour in U.S. history. Concrete was used for its quake-resistant properties.
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A release agent is used to keep concrete from sticking to its forming surface, which can be plywood or steel. There are now scented release agents on the market in flavors like citrus and cherry!
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The world’s largest concrete structure? China’s Three Gorges Dam along the Yangtze River. It took 12 years and about 565 million cubic feet of concrete to fully construct this dam!
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The term “concrete” is, as you may have guessed, Latin in origin. The Romans named the material after the word “concretus,” meaning “to grow together.”
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Under normal conditions, concrete is actually stronger a decade after pouring than it originally was! Calcium conversions on a chemical level and concrete’s tendency to absorb CO2 both contribute to this natural strengthening.
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Famous and influential inventor Thomas Edison held 49 patents that involved concrete!
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Ancient Romans pioneered large-scale rustic concrete architecture with structures like the Pantheon, which remains the world’s largest unsupported concrete dome.
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China is responsible for half the world’s overall concrete usage each year. The country used more between 2011 and 2013 than the United States used in the entire 20th century!
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During World War II, the British built 15-foot-diameter concrete “ears” – vertical bowl-like structures with a large, spherical indentation. They were placed along the coastline to pick up the sound of approaching enemy planes from as far as 30 miles away. Many still remain intact today!
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Though the general public sometimes uses the words interchangeably, cement only makes up about 10-15% of concrete.
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The world’s first rustic concrete road was built in Michigan in 1909 and was only one mile long.
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The inventor of Portland cement (one of modern concrete’s most common ingredients) named the material after the Isle of Portland off the coast of Britain.
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Pozzolanic cement is used for underwater construction projects like piers and tunnels. It’s much more water-resistant than steel or wood.
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Over 20 billion tons of concrete are used in construction every year!
Concrete is more interesting than you thought, isn’t it?
We hope you enjoyed this list of unexpected concrete facts, and we hope you enjoy your Fourth of July holiday!
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Custom Concrete Creations is chosen to help facilitate projects because we are the preferred custom concrete floor company, not only in Omaha, but for the greater Midwest region. No project is too big or too small for our team of seasoned experts who use state-of-the-art equipment on each and every project. We help you achieve the look of your dreams and do not consider the job done until you are happy with the results. Give us a call or contact us for your custom concrete needs today!