The 5 Basic Steps for Placing an Epoxy Floor By Mallory Westbrook Introduction: Epoxy floors are known for their durability, chemical resistance, and easy maintenance. They are a popular choice for industrial and commercial facilities like warehouses, hospitals, and car dealerships. However, epoxy flooring installation requires careful preparation…
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO APPROACH CONCRETE MIX FOR PAVEMENTS Concrete is a popular building material that has been in use for several decades. It is a versatile material that can be used for various construction projects. However, when it comes to pavement construction, the concrete mix must…
July 28, 2022
Moss Growth on Concrete
As a concrete enthusiast, I have always asked myself, “Why does moss grow on concrete?” Through web-based research, I have discovered more about the biological structure of moss and how it interacts with physical and chemical structure of concrete. The Structure of Moss As a non-vascular plant, the…
July 28, 2022
Nanotech in Natural Composites
Figure 1 — A female specimen of Argiope bruennichi wraps her prey in silk. (Courtesy of Lucarelli, Wikipedia) At the beginning of this journey I knew little of natural composite materials, much less the applications of these types of resources. At first glance, this small project seemed quite…
July 28, 2022
Recycled Concrete Aggregate — 5 Year Plan
In Colorado and surrounding states, the availability of quality virgin coarse aggregate that is resistant to chemical and physical degradation has decreased significantly in past years and will continue to decrease over the next decade (Hurcomb 2009). This reduction in availability is due to a greater amount of…
July 5, 2022
A Failed Story About Concrete Crack Research
The purpose of this research was to investigate failed cement paste specimens and determine the crack growth rate (CGR). The CGR (normally used for metals) would be calculated by a combination of material parameters and microscopic analysis to ultimately find the strength of the failed specimen. It was found that…
The hydrated cement matrix surrounds a wide variety of colorful aggregates. The hydration of cement in concrete Concrete has been considered a multi-scale material dating back to its first use and documentation in the catalogs of Egyptian and Roman histories. The strength and durability of concrete is reliant…
July 5, 2022
What is the concrete slump test controversy?
There is a public disagreement in the concrete and construction industry regarding the concrete slump test. But who specifically disagrees and why? Let’s take a few minutes to break down both sides of the concrete slump test controversy and how it can impact a project. What is…
June 22, 2022
What Is The Concrete Moisture Test?
What is the concrete moisture test used for? The Moisture Vapor Emission test, governed by ASTM F 1869, is a concrete test used to measure the weight of water emitting from concrete. The value is used to determine if a concrete subfloor is in the right state to…