Top most benefits of concrete

5. Superior Water Resistance Capability: The chemical in water can cause erosion in concrete and reinforced concrete. With regards to wood and steel, concrete has good water-resistance capacity devoid of severe corrosion. Because of this characteristic, it is perfect for underwater and submerged uses like toward building structures, pipelines, dams, canals, linings and waterfront structures Pure water does not cause damage to concrete as well as to reinforced concrete. Chemicals dilute in water like sulfates, chlorides and carbon dioxide produces corrosion.

6. High-temperature resistance: Concrete can resist extreme temperatures efficiently as compared to wood and steel. Calcium silicate hydrate, C-S-H are major binder in concrete which can resist until 910 deg C. Concrete is a worse conductor of heat as it can hoard significant amount of heat from the environment. Concrete can resist heat for 2–6 hours allowing adequate time for rescue operations in order to avoid fire. It is applied to fireproof steel and applied in extreme temperature and blast applications.

7. Capability to use up and recycle waste: Several industrial wastes are reprocessed as an alternate for cement or aggregate. It contains fly ash, slag also called GGBFS or ground granulated blast-furnaces slag, waste glass, and even ground vehicle tires in concrete. Therefore, concrete production considerably reduces environmental effects because of industrial waste. If these wastes are utilized, they enhance the properties of concrete maintaining the quality of the structure as it is.

8. Application in Reinforced Concrete: Concrete contains equivalent coefficient of thermal expansion to steel. “steel 1.2 × 10−5 and concrete 1.0–1.5 × 10−5”. Concrete gives protection to steel in corrosive environments as existence CH and other alkalis present there. Besides, concrete provides compressive strength of reinforced concrete members and structures.

9. Low or Zero Maintenance Cost: There is no need to apply coating or painting for concrete structure on a regular basis toward protection for weathering relating to steel or wooden structures where it is unavoidable. Therefore, the maintenance cost for concrete is reduced greatly as compared to steel or wood.

Ref: civildigital.com

10. Multi-Mode Application: Concrete can be applied in different application methodologies. Concrete is used manually, poured, pumped, sprayed, grouted and also utilized for advanced usages like shotcreting in tunnels.