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Concrete Engineering

Types of cracks in concrete and their causes

Concrete is one of the most durable and long-lasting building materials available. Cracks in concrete can be caused by a variety of factors, including temperature variations, structural flaws, and tree roots. Contrary to popular belief, not all concrete cracks are the same. In fact, determining the suitable type might assist you in correctly repairing the cracks.

Plastic concrete refers to concrete that is still fresh. Even though the components of this concrete are fully mixed when it is in a plastic condition, it is still unable to provide strength. Fresh concrete, commonly referred to as plastic concrete, is a newly mixed substance that can be moulded into any shape. Any of these states can lead to cracks.

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Types of Vibrators Used in Construction

What is Vibrator?
On construction sites, vibrators apply to compact concrete. Concrete vibrators come in many different shapes and sizes. Some Concrete Vibrators are smaller, more efficient, and run on battery power, whereas others are much larger and rely on power lines for power. In vibration, compacting is caused by a reduction in internal friction between various concrete particles due to particle oscillation, resulting in a dense and compact concrete mass. Vibrators work for concrete compaction in the roads, trains, and buildings. It compacts fresh concrete by removing trapped air and excess moisture. Its function is to hold the concrete in place in the formwork. And to ensure proper concrete consolidation and the avoidance of product flaws. Vibration frequencies range from 2800 to 15000 pm.

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How to Make a Concrete Floor Slip-Resistant

Introduction
Concrete floors can be extremely slippery when wet or icy, especially in the winter. Slippery concrete can be extremely hazardous, resulting in accidents and injuries. When the concrete floor surface is color hardened, sealed, or polished, this problem is more likely to occur.

The coefficient of friction measures the slickness of a surface. As a result, increasing the coefficient of friction of the surface is required to increase slip resistance. Slip-resistant concrete surfaces are created using anti-slip paints, additives, or silica sand.

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Concrete Construction, Joint Filler, and Sealer Material

Why are cement concrete pavement road joints useful?
An efficient joint system is critical to the successful operation of a cement concrete road. Tie bars and dowel bars keep the pavement strong at joints and act as load transfer devices. The first reason for jointing concrete pavements is that concrete shrinks over time. This occurs through a variety of mechanisms. Drying shrinkage occurs as a result of water being used for hydration while also being lost to the atmosphere via evaporation. The heat of hydration causes thermal shrinkage in concrete. The mixture becomes hot as cement is mixed with water. Heat is released as the concrete sets and cools and the pavement shrinks. Chemical shrinkage occurs because the cement hydration products (concrete) take up less volume than the reactants (cement and water in addition to aggregates).

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Geopolymer concrete

What is Geopolymer concrete?
Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), which is the main ingredient for concrete production, contributes about 10% of the global carbon dioxide (CO2) emission. Nearly 40% of the world’s construction sector contributes to global emissions. With the rising number of buildings every year, it is reckoned that only 40% of the infrastructure is built at present and the rest 60% is yet to be built which means more pollution is yet to be faced by the world. Thus, there is a requirement to shift industrial dependency from cement to some other alternatives that are environmentally friendly and effective.

On performing extensive analysis to develop alternate binders for the production of concrete that can help curb the CO2 burden on the planet, geopolymer concrete has appeared as a suitable replacement capable enough to replace the conventional concrete. While testing its properties, it has shown a reduction in CO2 emission in OPC production by 80%.
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