Concrete Facts and The History of Concrete

In 1756, British engineer, John Smeaton made the first modern concrete by adding pebbles as a coarse aggregate and mixing powdered brick into the cement.

In 1824, English inventor, Joseph Aspdin invented Portland Cement, which has remained the dominant cement used in concrete production. He created the first true artificial cement by burning ground limestone and clay together. The burning process created a stronger cement than what using plain crushed limestone would produce.

Concrete aggregates include sand, crushed stone, gravel, slag, ashes, burned shale, and burned clay. Fine aggregate (fine refers to the size of aggregate) is used in making concrete slabs and smooth surfaces. Coarse aggregate is used for massive structures or sections of concrete.

Reinforced concrete or ferroconcrete is concrete that includes imbedded metal. This process was invented in 1849 by Joseph Monier. Reinforced concrete combines the tensile or bendable strength of metal and the compression strength of concrete to withstand heavy loads.

Today, concrete is finding more inventive uses including residential construction and works of art. Almost all concrete is now made with Portland cement. It is also the principal cement used in most masonry mortars and renders.

Industrial applications for concrete includes:

Foundations, footings, highways, parking lots, walls, dams, buildings, floors, stairs, and much more.

Modern applications for concrete within the home includes:

Concrete Countertops, Concrete Table Tops, Concrete Sinks & Vanities, Concrete Fireplace Surrounds, Concrete Door Saddles, Concrete Wall panels, Concrete Seating, Concrete Window Sills, FloorTile, Backsplash, Tubs and Tub Surrounds, Stair Treads, Planters, etc.