How to make strong concrete (concrete mortar) with your own hands. Do-it-yourself concrete how to correctly calculate the proportions for its manufacture Do-it-yourself lightweight and environmentally friendly concrete

Comments:

Lightweight concrete is characterized by a rather high porosity (about 35-40%), medium density (from 150 to 1800 kg / m³), ​​low cost and ease of manufacture. It is widely used, used in the construction of monolithic and prefabricated, enclosing and load-bearing structures, as well as thermal insulation. This material has a relatively low weight and good heat-shielding properties, although it is inferior in strength to brick and heavy concrete. With its application, it is possible to significantly reduce the thickness and mass of the walls being constructed. As a result, construction costs will be significantly reduced.

Lightweight concrete is a concrete mixture of cement, water, sand and large porous aggregates.

Main characteristics

Such concretes are usually made by mixing various binders, light porous materials and water in certain proportions, sometimes with the addition of sand, foam and gas formers, water repellents, plasticizers, antiseptics, etc.

As a binder, different types of cement (magnesian, Portland cement), gypsum, lime, cement-lime mixtures are usually used.

You can use as placeholders:

1. Light natural materials from rocks of a porous structure (dolomite or limestone of volcanic origin, pumice, shell rock, flask, etc.), obtained by crushing and fractionating.
2. Artificial materials obtained from the waste of metallurgical, coke-chemical, oil refining industries, during the processing of garbage in urban household dumps. Fuel, metallurgical and chemical slags are used without any preliminary processing. Expanded expanded clay, vermiculite, perlite are obtained by special firing of clay raw materials. At high temperature and rapid heating, products expand 17-40 times.
3. Organic materials such as softwood sawdust, flax or hemp fire, etc.

To improve the strength characteristics of lightweight concrete, sand can be added to the mixture.

Back to index

Basic properties of porous lightweight concrete

The following can be distinguished:

1. The density of the material, which depends mainly on the bulk density in the dry state and the fraction of the aggregate used. Large aggregate is considered to be from 5 to 40 mm in size, and small - from 0.2 to 5 mm. The ratio of coarse to fine aggregate should be 6:4. On average, the ratio of the bulk density of coarse dry aggregate to the density of concrete obtained from it is approximately 1:2. The following grades of lightweight concrete are available depending on the bulk density: D200, D300, D400..D2000 (with an interval of 100 kg/m³). The density decreases with the porization of the cement stone.
2. Strength directly depends on the amount and grade of cement used in the mixture, as well as on the quality of porous aggregates. If the strength of the aggregate used is low, then it may well begin with it, regardless of the characteristics of the cement stone. Concrete compressive strength classes have been established from B0.35 to B40, depending on their purpose.
3. Thermal conductivity can vary within a fairly wide range from 0.055 to 0.75 W / (mx ° C). This value is significantly affected by both the density of the concrete itself and the nature of the porosity structure and moisture content of the material. If the volumetric moisture increases by 1%, then the thermal conductivity increases by 0.01. 0.03 W/(mx°C). Excellent thermal insulation properties are obtained by using lightweight foamed polystyrene cores (coefficient from 0.055 to 0.145 W/(mx°C)) and expanded perlite with a factor of 0.15 W/(mx°C) at a density of D600.
4. The frost resistance of the material directly depends on the quality characteristics of the aggregates and the binder, and the structure of the concrete structure also plays a huge role. Frost resistance varies from F15 to F200. You can get values ​​up to F300 and even F400. Usually such concretes are used for external structures;
5. Water resistance depends on the type of binder, the ratio of it and water in concrete, on the content of various chemical and finely ground additives, the conditions under which hardening took place, and the age of the concrete itself.

It is quite high, as the material ages, it increases more and more. Depending on water resistance, the following grades of lightweight concrete are distinguished: W2, W4, W20 (numbers indicate pressure in kgf / cm²).

Back to index

Difference in structural features

There are the following types of lightweight concrete:

1. Ordinary, which are usually made from fine or coarse aggregate, water and a binder, while almost complete filling of various voids between large particles with a solution. The air involved in such a mixture should not exceed 6% of the total volume.
2. Sandless large-pore: in such concrete, voids remain free from mortar between the particles. The structure contains more than 25% of pores filled with air.
3. Porous or usually made on a binder base and special pore-forming additives. So-called closed cells appear in their structure, filled with gas or air (up to 85% of the volume). Such materials may be free of sand and coarse aggregates.

Back to index

Division by purpose

Lightweight concrete on porous aggregates can be divided into the following types:

1. Thermal insulation with thermal conductivity up to 0.2 W / (mx ° C) and bulk density from 150 to 500 kg / m³, which are used for the production of special thermal insulation structures and as insulation boards.
2. Structural and heat-insulating, the volumetric weight of which is from 500 to 1400 kg / m³, their compressive strength should be M35 and higher, and thermal conductivity - 0.6 W / (mx ° C), not more. They are usually used for the construction of enclosing and some load-bearing structures (various ceilings, walls and partitions).
3. Structural ones have the largest bulk density for lightweight concrete (from 1400 to 1800 kg / m³), ​​have a strength of more than M50 and frost resistance of at least F15. These are usually used for load-bearing external structures.

A fairly strong and relatively light material, concrete, can be made on the basis of metallurgical or fuel slag with your own hands. It is used for monolithic construction, small blocks can be made from it. And from them to build walls on cement mortar.

Such blocks are usually produced at the factory, but they can also be made directly at the construction site by preparing formwork forms and pouring concrete made from slag into them. When self-casting blocks, in order to reduce thermal conductivity and save cement, even paper sleeves (old newspapers) filled with sand, as well as special inserts made of lighter sawdust or polystyrene concrete, can be used as void formers. Lightweight concrete grade M10 can just be used for such thermal liners.

To obtain blocks, you can make concrete with your own hands, using sawdust as a filler. The construction of walls from such material significantly reduces the cost of the entire construction. If such walls are well protected from the weather, they will last more than 50 years.

Modern technologies have greatly simplified the life of builders. For example, lightweight concrete has replaced the traditional one. Lightweight "bricks", popular expanded clay concrete blocks, porous materials are rapidly gaining popularity. Let's talk about what their advantage is, what are the disadvantages, is it possible to make such products with your own hands.

Main advantages

Those species are called, the average density of which in dry form fits into the range from two hundred to two thousand kg / m3 (for comparison, for the traditional one this figure is 2400-2500 kg / m3). There are many advantages to lightweight concrete. One of the main ones, as the name of the material implies, is light weight. Thanks to this, the construction of buildings is faster, it costs less due to savings on the delivery of building materials directly at work. And there is no need to strengthen the foundation of the building.

As for engineering and operational qualities, lightweight concrete is a plus:

• the possibility of high-altitude work without the use of special lifting mechanisms;
• universal use (walls, partitions, ceilings, etc. are built from "weightless" blocks);
• low thermal conductivity;
• resistance to sub-zero temperatures (products using high-quality Portland cement have the best characteristics in this regard);
• excellent sound insulation performance.

disadvantages

Specially created pores are considered to be the trump card of lightweight concretes, which give them the above positive properties. However, they also cause the disadvantages of the blocks:

• less strength compared to traditional, heavy materials;
• higher level of moisture absorption. It penetrates precisely through artificially created voids. Therefore, plastering of external, internal surfaces is strongly recommended.

Material types

Lightweight concrete is:

• Cellular (gas-, foam concrete). In the first, bubbles are obtained due to the reaction of lime and aluminum powder included in the mixture. In the second, pores are made by combining cement mortar with foam, which is prepared separately.
• Porous. These include products with the use of porous aggregates. In particular, these are popular expanded clay concrete blocks, which, along with cement, water, and sand, include expanded clay gravel (granules are obtained by firing clay or shale in special furnaces). This group also includes polystyrene concrete - a mixture of Portland cement, water, foamed polystyrene granules, as well as wood saponified resin (air-entraining additive).
• On organic aggregates (aggregates) - fiber, shavings, sawdust. Examples of such products are fibrolite, heraclitus.

In addition, classification by purpose is applied. According to it, lightweight concrete is classified as either structural or heat-insulating materials. There is a division and depending on the binder component (cement, lime, gypsum, mixed type).

Application for facades

Lightweight concrete is readily used in the reconstruction of facades. For these purposes, both cellular materials and expanded clay concrete blocks are used (mainly on the socles of buildings that are most vulnerable to external influences).

A prerequisite is the subsequent plastering of wall blocks.

The only way to lighten the weight of a concrete material is to use various methods to enrich it with air. Achieve goals like this:

• Replacing traditional fillers with lightweight ones. These include pumice, slag (metallurgical granular, expanded perlite and vermiculite), sawdust, rice husks and others. These aggregates are fire-resistant, thanks to the cellular structure they improve the self-setting of the mortar.
• By introducing gases or air bubbles when mixing. Thanks to special additives-reagents, hydrogen or oxygen is released into the mixture. For foam concrete use (synthetic, protein). It can be made with your own hands, for which they practice the use of pine rosin, carpentry bone glue, caustic soda.

• Date: 20-11-2014
• Views: 1709
• Comments:
• Rating: 24

Concrete is a unique and multifunctional material. It is successfully used at almost all stages of construction, finishing materials and paving slabs are made from it. The strength and durability of any structure depends on its quality. How to make strong concrete that can last for decades?

The technological process of preparing durable concrete seems straightforward, but at the same time, the number of complaints about cracking, for example, the foundation, is growing.

What you need to know and consider in order for concrete for any purpose to live up to expectations?

Basic concepts

Classically, concrete means a mixture of the following components:

1. Cement is a link that turns the components into a monolith.
2. Sand is the basis of strength and filler of small voids.
3. Aggregate - it can be gravel, crushed stone and some other materials. It is the stone component that provides the unique strength of the material.
4. Special additives - all kinds of plasticizers, etc. With the help of these chemical compounds, concrete is given the desired consistency and its quality is improved.
5. Water.

The main indicator of concrete quality is compressive strength. This characteristic reflects the ability of the solution to withstand mechanical stress, which is inevitable. This indicator is measured in MPa (megapascals) and reflects the level of load that concrete can withstand without deformation and change in properties. The strength of concrete depends on the quality and type of cement used for preparation, the fraction of sand and aggregate, and compliance with the technological process. Concrete is marked depending on its strength from B 3.5 to B 80, where the number is an indicator of the pressure that this composition can withstand in 95% of cases.

The simplest concrete, often used for laying the foundation substrate, is a simple mixture of cement and coarse sand. Depending on the use of auxiliary components, the strength of the composition increases, and hence the durability and reliability of the structure.

But before choosing a recipe that will make concrete durable, it is important to understand all the components. The effectiveness of the work will depend on their quality.

Back to index

Cement - the basis of the foundations

Cement is the main and most important ingredient in a compound called concrete. It provides binding of additional components.

Portland cement is an ideal option for making durable concrete. Due to the high content of calcium silicates, it ensures perfect adhesion (adhesion) of materials. An additional advantage of this material is the permissibility of work at lower temperatures, but this advantage should not be abused. Mixing and pouring at temperatures below +16°C will adversely affect quality. If it became necessary to work in a cold climate, it is imperative to use special plasticizers. Portland slag cement is suitable for work in the warm summer period.

When purchasing cement, the main reference point is the brand. It is indicated on the bag, and the cost will depend on it. Usually it looks like this: M 500-D 10 (numbers may vary). The first indicator is the same strength, the optimal grade is M 500, you can also use M 400, but this will affect the quality, the concrete will be less durable. The second indicator is the content of impurities, the value D 10 indicates that the cement contains 10% of foreign elements. In order for concrete to be light enough and strong enough, you should choose a material with an indicator up to D 20.

In addition to a thorough approach to choosing a brand of cement, a visual assessment is also necessary. Quality material must be dry, homogeneous and free-flowing. Even slight dampness will adversely affect the strength of the structure.

It is necessary to assess the need for concrete immediately before the start of work, the maximum period is 2 weeks. In this case, it is better to purchase the missing bag than to leave a surplus; during storage, they will absorb moisture from the environment and become poor-quality ballast. When buying, you need to carefully check the integrity of the packaging and the presence of appropriate markings.

Back to index

Not without sand

It is possible to do without this component of concrete in extremely rare cases. In the rest, it is sand that will provide sufficient density and high-quality filling of voids. What should be the sand in order to?

1. Pure. This is one of the most important characteristics. Foreign impurities, especially of plant origin, will decompose in the thickness of concrete, reducing its strength. If the sand was purchased clogged, it must be sieved. Let it take time, but it will significantly increase the strength of the future structure.
2. Homogeneous. Sand with a fraction of 1.5 to 5 mm is suitable for construction. But at the same time, you need to try so that the run-up is no more than 1.5-2 mm. The more homogeneous the sand, the stronger the structure.

It is preferable to use river sand, as it is often already clean. The ravine often contains loamy impurities and silty inclusions. In some cases, it is possible to perform a thorough washing and subsequent settling of the sand, but this is laborious, especially at home.

In some regions, remote from large rivers, you can find the so-called stone or rocky sand. It is a rock crushed to the required fraction. When using such a material, it must be borne in mind that it is much heavier than ordinary sand, which means that its use will not allow you to get lightweight concrete, which is especially important when installing interfloor ceilings.

Back to index

What should be a quality filler

Almost any stone of a suitable size can act as a concrete aggregate. But here, too, there are several requirements that will help improve the quality of concrete.

1. The placeholder must be clean. As in the case of sand, it is necessary to make sure in advance that there are no impurities. If necessary, resort to sieving.
2. Regardless of the type of filler, all elements must have a rough surface, which ensures high adhesion. For this reason, it is worth refusing to use pebbles.
3. The optimal fraction is from 8 to 35 mm, the rule of uniformity is preserved. But in the case of self-filling, it is better to use gravel of different fractions, for example, fine and medium. In this case, it will provide better compaction even without the use of professional rammers.
4. In order to obtain a light but very durable casting material after solidification, it is recommended to use expanded clay.

Aggregates are usually quite heavy, so they must be stored in close proximity to the place where the concrete is mixed. In addition, it must be taken into account that gravel can also become contaminated during storage, which means that it is better to organize the embankment on a solid base or on a tarpaulin. When storing the material on the ground, the lower layer becomes a marriage or requires washing and drying.

Back to index

But what about water and other components?

For concrete to be durable and last for many years, you need to use tap water, which is at least conditionally drinkable. It is strictly not recommended to use water from natural reservoirs, it contains acidic and alkaline impurities that will not allow you to make durable and lightweight concrete.

In addition, various components are often added to the solution, changing the properties in the direction of improvement.

1. plasticizers. These are special compounds that allow you to change the properties of concrete. With their help, you can reduce the need for water, adjust the fluidity and plasticity.
2. Lime. It is usually added to simplify work with concrete, which is especially important for fine manipulations. This is not a required component and use is at the discretion of the wizard.
3. corrective components. With their help, you can make concrete resistant to low temperatures and other aggressive conditions. Moreover, if the work is carried out outside the permissible temperature range, the use of such means becomes mandatory.
4. reinforcing additives. As a rule, a PVC sheet is used, it is soft and not too strong, but when laid between the layers of the screed, it successfully protects the concrete from tearing and cracking. With it, you can make a fairly strong, but at the same time light layer.

So, all kinds of additives make it possible to improve concrete and make it more resistant to external factors.

Back to index

The correct ratio of components

So, the qualitative components of the future durable concrete have been selected and purchased, but that's not all. Their ratio is no less important, in addition, the proportions vary depending on the type of work.

For pouring, crushed stone of a large fraction and sufficiently liquid concrete of good fluidity are required. This will fill in all the voids. But before pouring, it is recommended to mount a low-grade cement substrate, the material for it should resemble moist soil in consistency.

The most common ratio is 1:3:6, respectively, cement, sand, aggregate and up to 1 part water, depending on the need and type of construction. But this ratio is not universal, since the density of materials can change under the influence of many factors. It would be most reasonable to calculate the indicators, armed with technical reference books. If weight is chosen as the main measurement, it is necessary to dry the sand and aggregate so that the liquid does not disturb the calculation.

This rule holds true for any definition of the ratio of components. It is necessary to use the same dishes and, if necessary, make adjustments. Otherwise, the error will definitely make itself felt, but at the time when it will be impossible to fix it.

Back to index

Mixing components

Equally important is the process of mixing the components. Heterogeneous concrete is not only a difficulty in pouring, but also a change in the ratio of the components due to their sticking to the tool.

The ideal option is to use a concrete mixer, this device is designed to make perfect concrete. The unit can be purchased or rented, today many construction companies offer this service. It is necessary to install a concrete mixer at a minimum distance so that during transportation the concrete does not have time to harden - this is contrary to the technological process.

You can make high-quality concrete in the old fashioned way, kneading in an old trough. But in this case, you will have to make a lot of effort to make the mixture homogeneous.

There are two methods for preparing the solution:

1. Dry. When using it, all dry components are pre-mixed, and only after that water and plasticizers are added. The danger of this method is that it is extremely difficult to qualitatively and quickly enough provide liquid access to the lower layers, and this can disrupt the proportion. With long mixing, the cement will begin to set, which will affect the strength of the concrete.
2. Wet. All dry ingredients are gradually added to the measured water. This method is not without drawbacks, but it is still preferable, especially when preparing a small volume of solution.

A mortar of concrete is a mixture of various components (sand, crushed stone, water and cement), as a result of mixing and subsequent solidification of which, a solid, incredibly durable building material is obtained, which is sometimes called "artificial stone". For obvious reasons, no building can do without concrete. It is the main component in the construction of foundations, walls, floor slabs, floor screeds, curb and paving slabs and much more. Therefore, it is very important that the concrete solution be of high quality, which means that the concrete production technology must be strictly observed.

Do-it-yourself concrete - the main components

For one reason or another, it is sometimes impossible to order ready-made concrete in production. Either the manufacturer set the price too high and it is much more profitable for you to make it yourself, or you need very little of it, so there is no need to bring concrete with a mixer.

Before starting work, it is important to remember the following - the proportions of the added components, depending on the brand of concrete, may differ. For example, to get concrete M200- the ratio of the proportion of cement (M400), sand and crushed stone is 1: 2.8: 4.8 (respectively). If you need concrete grade M300- in the presence of the same components, the proportion will look like this 1: 1.9: 3.7 (respectively). Further below in the table you can get acquainted in detail with the exact ratio of components.

Cement

This is exactly the connecting element without which, regardless of the brand of concrete, it is impossible to make a solution. The strength and speed of its solidification will directly depend on its quality.

Necessary marking of cement, for obtaining concrete of various grades, under natural hardening conditions

Now in the construction markets you can find various types of cements that have different indicators in compressive strength. All of them are divided into groups, which determines their ultimate load in the frozen state.

The percentage of additives and impurities is indicated by the letter "D". For example, cement M400-D20 it means content in it 20% additives. It is impossible not to take into account this indicator, the plasticity and strength of the material directly depend on it.

From the products presented on the markets, it is possible to single out the well-proven Portland cement. Among its main advantages are:

• Sufficiently long service life;
• It has excellent strength indicators;
• Resistant to sudden changes in air temperature;
• Not afraid of moisture.

Important! Whatever the brand of cement, it should be crumbly, without the presence of lumps in it and not expired.

Sand

For the preparation of concrete mortar according to GOST 8736-93 it is possible to use sand of various fractions of granules ( see fig. one). The final characteristics of concrete will directly depend on its quality.

rice. 1 The size of the fractions of sand used for the preparation of concrete

Regardless of the type of sand, the absence of clay in its composition is a prerequisite, its presence will significantly reduce the strength of concrete. Usually, quarry sand is used to prepare the mixture, in which there are often many foreign particles (dirt, debris, bark and tree roots.).

Such sand must be washed and sifted through a sieve before adding. If this is not done, voids may form in the hardened concrete, which over time will lead to the formation of cracks in it.

It is also important to pay attention to the moisture content of the sand, which is present in a small amount even in a dry product. In wet sand, the percentage of moisture can reach 12% from its total weight. This point will need to be taken into account when drawing up the correct proportions of the necessary components, in particular water.

Without a special device, you can measure the exact amount of moisture in the sand in the following way:

1. Prepare a small metal container, an old unnecessary pan will do. Weigh her net weight and record;
2. Next, pour into it, pre-weighed and prepared 1 kg. sand and place the container on 10-15 min. on a hot stove, while constantly stirring the contents;
3. Without letting the sand cool down, re-weigh the container along with the hot sand. From the result obtained, we subtract the weight of the container (pot) known to us and multiply it by the number 100 ;
4. The resulting product will be the percentage value of the moisture content of the sand.

When dry, the sand should have a crumbly consistency.

rubble

Another important component of the concrete solution is crushed stone. This material is made by crushing rocks (limestone, granite, stone) into smaller ones, resulting in crushed stone having various fractions. Their size determines the original product into the following types:

• The smallest gravel - the size of the fractions is less than 5 mm. It is applied at internal and external finishing works;
• Fine crushed stone - the size of fractions is 5-20 mm. The most commonly used size when pouring foundations and screeds;
• Medium crushed stone - the size of fractions is 20-40 mm. It is impossible to do without it in the construction of railways and roads, as well as in the construction of a foundation for large industrial buildings that create increased loads;
• Large crushed stone - the size of fractions is 40-70 mm. It is necessary for the construction of large-scale structures that require a huge amount of mortar;

When calculating the preparation of a concrete mixture, it is necessary to take into account another important indicator, such as the void space of the material (VPM). Calculating it is quite simple. To do this, pour crushed stone to the very top in a bucket of 10 liters. After that, with measuring utensils, slowly begin to pour water into it until it appears on the surface. The number of liters of water you fill in is an indicator of void space. For example, if in a bucket of rubble fit 3 liters of water, then the PPM indicator will be 30% .

Required amount of water

How to make a quality mixture? The answer is simple, for its preparation it is necessary to use only clean water. It should not contain impurities of oils, chemical and petroleum products, as well as various household waste. All these substances can significantly reduce the strength characteristics of the finished product.

The plasticity of concrete is also an equally important indicator, which directly depends on the quantitative content of water in it in proportion to crushed stone and gravel. You can get acquainted with the optimal ratio of water to filler in the table below. №1 .

Table No. 1 - the required amount of water (l / m³) depending on the filler

It is important to adhere to this table, since the lack of moisture in concrete, just like its excess, will negatively affect its quality.

Calculation of the composition of concrete

• Required brand of concrete;
• Required level of solution plasticity;
• Marking of the cement used;
• The size of the fractions of sand and gravel.

As an example, we will calculate a solution of maximum plasticity, the strength of which corresponds to the marking M 300.

Calculation of concrete by weight - from the first we take the recommended brand of cement M400 with crushed stone filler with medium-sized granules. Using the table №2 we determine the necessary proportions of the mass of water and cement (W / C - water-cement ratio).

Table. No. 2 - W / C indicator used for different markings of concrete

Knowing all the data (concrete - M300, cement - M400, filler - crushed stone), according to table No. 2, we easily find the water-cement ratio, which is equal to - 0.56 .

It remains to find the required volume of water in order to obtain the finished product of maximum plasticity, taking into account the use of crushed stone fractions 20 mm. To do this, we return to where we see that the result obtained is equal to 210 l/m³.

After all the basic data became known to us, we calculate the required amount of cement for the preparation 1m³ concrete mix. Divide 210 l/m³ on the 0.56 , we get 375 kg. cement. Using the table №3 we derive the final proportions of all the necessary components.

Table number 3. Proportions of the ratio of components (cement, sand, crushed stone)

So, if for the preparation of 1 m³ of concrete (M300) we need 375 kg. cement (M400), then, following the calculated indicator of table No. 3, we get sand - 375 × 1.9 = 713 kg., crushed stone - 375 × 3.7 = 1,388 kg.

Methods for mixing concrete

There are two ways to prepare building concrete with your own hands:

1. Mix the solution manually;
2. Use a concrete mixer to mix.

Manual mixing of concrete

• First, pour the required amount of sand into a clean container;
• Strictly observing the proportions, pour cement on top. Mix both fillers well until their color is uniform;
• Measure the required amount of water, and add it in small portions to the container with sand and cement, while distributing and mixing the mixture over the entire area. The result should be a gray mass without lumps and visible residues of sand and cement;
• The final step is to add crushed stone to the resulting solution. Mixing should take place until each pebble is covered with a solution. To give the concrete the necessary plasticity, add water if necessary.

Among the disadvantages of the manual method, the following can be distinguished:

• Quite a laborious and lengthy process;
• Immediate use of the solution after kneading. Otherwise, the solution may begin to delaminate, which will lead to a deterioration in its quality.

Mixing with a concrete mixer

• Pour a small amount of water into the drum of the concrete mixer, then add cement there and mix well until a gray milk is obtained. From now on, the drum should rotate continuously;
• Further, according to the calculation of proportions, proceed to backfilling of fillers (sand and gravel). Stir for another 2-3 minutes;
• Add a couple more liters of water to the resulting mixture until a homogeneous consistency is obtained.

The main advantage of this method of mixing is the possibility of using concrete for another hour after mixing the solution.

Everything is already created by nature. We can only use her tips in the development of high-tech materials. The developers of permeable concrete, which imitates natural soil, went this way.

Everything is already created by nature. We can only use her tips in the development of high-tech materials.

The developers of permeable concrete, which imitates natural soil, went this way. Permeable concrete is a highly porous material made of concrete particles glued together. The pore space occupies 15-25% of the total volume of the material. It turns out such a cheese with a lot of holes. High porosity provides filtration of large volumes of water - up to 200 liters per minute per 1 m2 of coating. What are the advantages of this technology?

There is a natural water cycle in nature. Rain water reaches the surface, is absorbed by the roots of plants, and the excess flows into the groundwater. Further, water evaporates through the leaves of plants and from the surface of reservoirs that are fed from groundwater. In cities where asphalt has literally "gobbled up" the entire surface, rainwater is discharged through drainage systems outside the city. As a result, the natural cycle is broken. Plants suffer from a lack of water, and groundwater does not receive the necessary nutrition. Permeable concrete, unlike asphalt, allows rainwater to pass through, which ensures its free access to the soil. At the same time, the load on the city's drainage systems during rainy seasons is reduced.

The cost of such a coating is much lower than asphalt. Do not forget that a quarter of the "miracle concrete" is air. On the other hand, asphalt is a petroleum product. In addition to the unstable cost of its production, asphalt contains a large amount of toxic substances that pollute the environment.

Eco-friendly concrete is ideal for harsh environments. Due to its porosity, unlike asphalt, it is resistant to temperature extremes. This eliminates the need for frequent road repairs, and in our reality, the annual re-laying of the asphalt pavement. Manufacturers of "miracle concrete" guarantee 15 years of operation in such conditions!

Aerated concrete is used in the US and Europe to build sidewalks, parking lots, highways, recreation area pavements, retaining walls, and slope reinforcement. Manufacturers are confident that over time, its scope will expand.

The developers of the Portuguese studio e-studio went even further. They "revived" the concrete by adding lawn grass seeds to it. Organic concrete is a unique material that, thanks to its porous structure, allows seeds to germinate directly from this substrate. Even during dry periods, plants will not lack water, safely stored in its pores.

Organic concrete opens up new possibilities for architects and landscape designers. In fact, the originality of "green structures" and living forms is limited solely by their imagination.