Concrete is one of the highly used construction materials. You can make commercial concrete by mixing water, aggregates, and cement. It forms a paste. However, you have to predetermine the ratio at which you mix these materials.

Depending upon the ratio and the elements you mix, there are different types of concrete available. Also, you can differentiate it based on constituent material, mix design, the method of construction, area of application, the form of hydration reaction, etc..

Types of Commercial Concrete

Here is a brief description of different types of commercial concrete:

Normal Strength Concrete

You can obtain this type of concrete by mixing the basic ingredients cement, water and aggregate. Normal strength concrete strength varies from 10 MPa to 40MPa. It has an initial setting time of 30 to 90 minutes. However, this depends on the properties of the cement and the weather conditions of the construction site.

Plain Concrete

The main constituents of this type of concrete are cement, aggregates, and water, and concrete has no reinforcement in it. You can obtain plain concrete by a mixed design of 1:2:4. It has a density of around 2200 to 2500 Kg/meter cube. Moreover, it has a compressive strength of approximately 200 to 500 kg/cm2. The common applications include the construction of the pavements and the buildings.

Reinforced Concrete

It is defined as the concrete to which reinforcement is introduced. Hence, it has a high capacity to bear tensile strength. It uses steel for reinforcement. You can use steel in the form of rods, bars, or meshes. However, you must ensure that there is a proper bond between the concrete and the reinforcement.

Prestressed Concrete

It is best for mega concrete projects. It uses a special technique in which the bars used in the concrete are stressed before applying actual load. Place tensioned bars firmly and hold them from each end of the structural unit while pouring concrete.

The structural unit will compress on the hardening of the cement. This technique will make the lower section of the concrete stronger against tension. It has a wide application in the construction of bridges, heavily loaded structures, and roofs with longer spans.

Precast Concrete

These are made and cast in the factory as per the specifications. When required, you can bring it to the site of construction. For example, in the construction of blocks, staircase units, precast walls and poles, concrete lintels, and many others, precast concrete is used. . Also, the use of precast concrete ensures speedy work.

Lightweight Concrete

Lightweight Concrete uses lightweight aggregates in concrete design and has a density of less than 1920kg/m3. You can apply it for the protection of the steel structures. Common examples of lightweight cement include pumice, perlites, and scoria.

Conclusion:

Concrete is adaptable and has high strength workability. Hence, it stands out among the other materials for building and construction purposes. Also, it’s very versatile as you can make simple alterations to the ratio of the basic ingredients of concrete. The article discussed all the details of various types of concrete, their properties, and their applications. If you want to get some quality concrete work done, visit http://www.concretersauckland.net.nz/ for expert guidance.