Student Corner

What is Concrete Anchor?
An anchor is a piece of steel used to transfer loads to concrete. They can be cast into the concrete or put into a piece of hardened concrete later. There are several kinds of cast-in anchors, but headed bolts, hooked bolts (J- or L-bolts), and headed studs are the most common. The expansion anchor, the undercut anchor, and the sticky anchor are the three anchors used after the fact.

In adhesive anchors, steel parts like threaded rods and reinforcing bars that have been bent or internally threaded steel sleeves with bends on the outside are used. Anchor systems often join two structural parts or attach a non-structural part to a building.
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What is Concrete Retarder?

Retarders are additives that slow the setting of cement paste and, by extension, mixtures like mortar or concrete that contains cement. Concrete retarders are also known as retarding admixtures or just retarders. Adding a retarder to the concrete mix can delay the setting time by up to an hour. They slow the hardening process in warmer weather to give workers more time to mix, transport and place the concrete. Retarders not only slow down the process, but they also save water.
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What is Plum Concrete?
Plum concrete, also known as cyclopean concrete and rubble concrete, combines wet concrete and a plum (large size, strong, clean natural coarse aggregate or boulders of roughly 300 mm or larger). Plum makes up about 30–40% of the overall weight of the poured-in-place material.

U.S. technical specifications recommend a ratio of 60 percent plain concrete to 40 percent big stones when building with Cyclopean concrete. On day 28, the plain concrete used in this project must have a minimum resistance of 180 kg/cm2, and its ingredients must be thoroughly saturated before being mixed. The stone used must be in line with ASTM standards, and the blueprints will determine the exact dimensions for the foundation.

Plum’s presence in concrete lowers the required hydration heat since it eliminates the need for an excessive amount of cement while maintaining the material’s strength. Constructions of gravity dams, embankments, filling of deep or uneven terrain, foundations, etc., are all common applications for plum concrete. It’s a cheap replacement for regular cement.

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What is Pointing?

Pointing is the process of applying a final coat of cement or lime mortar to the mortar joints of exposed brick masonry or stone masonry to seal them from the elements and improve their aesthetic appeal. It is important to remember that the mortar joints in a building are the only vulnerable areas, even if the building itself is composed of better materials. Since pointing is cost-effective, it may be implemented even in arid regions.

Importance of Pointing:

• It’s useful for stopping water from seeping into the cracks between bricks and causing mortar joints to rot.
• It’s used to finish the joints between bricks or stones in masonry, giving them a strong and dependable bond.
• If pointing is done correctly and tastefully, it will lessen the need for routine maintenance.
• It can be used in several settings, including in dry regions.

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What is Bond?
A bond is formed when cement mortar fills a groove formed by adjacent bricks being laid side by side. Bonding helps distribute loads evenly over a large area. These bonds are like patterns in which bricks are laid, which can be used for brick walls and paving. They can also be used for concrete blocks and masonry construction.
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