Concrete

Abstract

Concrete is a composite material of a cement-based matrix, which is produced by mixing water and a binder, usually made of hydraulic cement or cement and additions and particles of aggregate. The resulting product, by mixing those constituents, is very versatile both in terms of the characteristics it can have and the applications it can be used for. This versatility contributes to make concrete the most used construction material in Portugal and most of the world. The production of concrete, especially at construction sites, is not carried out under so controlled conditions as other construction materials, such as steel. Producing good concrete requires a set of precautions to be taken. “Bad” concrete’with inadequate consistence, excess voids and a very heterogeneous structure’is produced using exactly the same constituents as good concrete. The difference is in knowing and understanding the phenomena that govern its behaviour.