Application of Concrete in Modern Construction Projects

As far contemporary construction procedures are concerned, concrete is the most commonly used building material. It is easy to work with it because for various factors. A concrete can be cast in any desired shape and dimension. It also comes with a long life and requires minimal maintenance. Moreover, concrete neither rusts, nor rots. It remains unaffected by wind, rain, heat and fire. Because of all these positive factors, it can be used in varieties of construction work. Concrete is one of the most common substances used to construct pavements, bridges, culverts, retaining walls and other building structures.

The quintessential components of concrete are cement, water and aggregate. This aggregate actually consists of a mixture of various sizes of gravel and sand. In fact, cement is the most costly component present in concretes. When water is added to cement, a chemical reaction occurs, which results in hardening of the mixture.

As such, concrete has identical composition to mortar. It is well known that the latter is extensively used in masonry work as a bonding medium. However, mortars use sand as the sole aggregate while concrete is made using aggregates much larger than sand. From the technical aspect, the strength and density of finished concrete depends on the distribution of the components. Usually the right proportions of different sizes of gravel and sand is used to create strong and dense concrete having extended life.

As such, the aspect of cement aggregate concrete testing has taken the center stage in the construction industry. Any responsible builder or project owner does not shy away from conducting this analysis to ensure longer life of buildings and other structures. There are many dedicated testing laboratories, across Southeast Asia, that categorically cater to the construction industry. These service providers invest heavily on cutting-edge technology and maintain state-of-the-art laboratories to generate impeccable reports. The range of testing laboratories has earned repute for delivering quality and on-time service. An increasing number of construction project owners from all corners of the globe seek the proficient service of these laboratories for obvious reasons.

Vital Role of Aggregates in Molding Concrete

To the laymen, aggregates could be inert filler within a concrete mix. However, only a technically sound individual can actually understand the importance of this component within a concrete mix. Aggregates actually play crucial role and influence the properties of both fresh and hardened concretes. Alterations in gradation, unit weight, maximum size and moisture content of this component can drastically change the character and performance of concrete mixes. On the other hand, using the maximum allowable size of aggregates proves economic. As such, the component reduces the requirement for cement, which is the most expensive item used in concrete mixes.

The component also provides volume stability to hardened concrete. Cement pastes have higher chances of shrinkage as compared to that of aggregates. It is important to control the shrinkage of the concrete material because it often leads to cracking. In order to avoid any mishaps, reputed construction firms subscribe to cement aggregate concrete testing these days. There are several dependable players based in Singapore who provide impressive service on the mentioned aspect.

These service providers maintain a pool of experienced professionals, including scientists, engineers and adept technicians. Usually, these businesses provide a range of relevant services, including consultancy on concrete petrography, failure analysis and retrofitting or repair. The commercial sector is catering to an ever-increasing range of customers covering all corners of the world. Providing quality service using cutting-edge technology at reasonable cost has paved the way to success for the category of service providers.

Majority of these organizations are capable to provide the full range of petrography tests including BS 812 – Pt 104, BS 7943, BS EN 932 – 3, SS EN 12620, ASTM C295 for concrete aggregates. Some of the most competent service providers are even capable to provide ASTM C856 test for hardened concrete and Green Certification Test.

Considering their state-of-the-art infrastructure and dedicated services, clients flock to these businesses from all corners of the globe. Commercial prospect of these businesses seems to be impressive. This development happens to be a significant factor for the construction industry in general.