The types of concrete used in construction are categorized based on strength, type of concrete, material used, etc. and are explained in this article.
This article also discusses different types of concrete made using different methods so that you can familiarize yourself with the types of concrete in more detail.
Let's see what this means specifically.
Concrete is a combination of cement, sand, coarse aggregate and water. When the mixture hardens through the hydration process, concrete is formed.
Main component of concrete
- cement
- Water
- Sand/artificial sand
- Coarse-grained aggregate
- Additions
Concrete properties
The most important properties of concrete can be listed below.
- Compressive strength of concrete
- Concrete durability
- Resistance to heat or radiation
- Workability of concrete etc.
Why do we use concrete?
Concrete is very resistant when hardened and has greater compressive strength. The chemical reaction of cement with water strengthens the strong bond.
We use aggregates to make concrete and the chemical reaction created a strong bond between the components.
Concrete additives such as retarder, Flow agent to increase strength, highly dispersed water, etc. is added to the concrete.
How to make concrete
There are two methods of making concrete.
- Manual mixing
- Mechanical mixing
The most conventional method of making concrete is to mix the concrete by hand. Concrete mixing can be done based on mixing proportions.
The concrete mixing article More information about the concrete mixing method and concrete conditions can be found here.
Mechanical mixing is carried out by a concrete mixing plant or using concrete mix. Generally, concrete mixing in the concrete mixing plant is carried out according to the Mix design verified with test mixes. These types of concrete are classified as Ready-mixed concrete .
Types of concrete
Let's discuss the different types of concrete in detail.
Normal or common concrete
Regular concrete is the normal type of concrete that is not used as a structural element. There is also no reinforcement.
The production of simple normal concrete is mainly done by volumetric dosing.
Ordinary concrete is not particularly strong and cannot withstand tensile stresses greater than the tensile strength of the concrete. Furthermore, normal concrete is sensitive to vibratory loads.
Reinforced concrete
The most commonly used type of concrete is reinforced concrete. There are different classifications for reinforced concrete.
Concrete is resistant to pressure and weak to tension. The tensile strength of concrete is approximately 10% of the compressive strength of concrete. Therefore, if necessary, concrete is reinforced to increase compressive strength, and reinforcement is applied where tensile stresses occur.
The use of reinforcing bars in concrete not only increases the strength of the concrete (increasing the quality of the concrete), but also significantly influences the development of concrete strength.
prestressed concrete
One of the modern construction techniques developed in the construction industry is prestressed concrete technology. Although it is an old technology, its construction field has evolved significantly.
Typically, prestressed concrete is made from a higher quality concrete because it is subjected to high compressive and tensile stresses during prestressing and loading.
As the tensile strength of concrete is also taken into account in the design of prestressed structures, a higher quality of concrete is an advantage.
Precast concrete parts
As the name suggests, precast concrete is a type of concrete that, unlike in-situ concrete, is poured early. Precast concrete is manufactured as structural and non-structural concrete elements.
Concrete curbs, landings, etc. are made of non-structural concrete. Floor slabs, duct covers, concrete beams, columns, etc. can be considered important prefabricated elements in buildings.
The use of precast concrete brings even more benefits to projects, as it reduces construction time. In some cases, it reduces construction costs. Additionally, there are many indirect benefits to using these types of concrete.
Laminated concrete
Laminated concrete is used in large works. It is a type of mass concrete that is used to fill a larger volume of concrete. To avoid surface cracks, etc. nominal reinforcement may be used.
The aggregate size, for example 75 mm, is used to make rolled concrete in dams.
Factors such as concrete durability, strength, workability, heat of hydration, aggregates, water content, etc. are taken into consideration during mix design.
The article on Laminated concrete For more information, continue reading.
Lightweight concrete
Lightweight concretes are types of concrete with low weight compared to normal concrete.
Using lightweight concrete reduces the density of the concrete. In general, lightweight concrete has a density of less than 2,000 kg/m 3 .
Lightweight concrete is used in situations where weight reduction is expected. Furthermore, it can be used for concreting when it is necessary to increase the height of the concrete or protect structures.
High Density Concrete
The normal density of concrete is about 2,400 kg/m 3 . High density concrete has a higher density in the range of 3000-4000 kg/m 3 .
The greater density of concrete is due to the use of higher density aggregates.
These types of concrete are used in the construction of nuclear power plants or similar structures.
Self-compacting concrete
There are situations where we cannot compact the concrete. Although there are methods like this Concrete vibration or others. Depending on the type of structure or construction, compaction may not be practical.
Underwater concrete, mass column concrete, pile foundation concreting, etc. are made with self-compacting concrete.
There is no mechanical or other compaction of the concrete, but rather the compaction occurs through the concrete itself. The properties of the concrete are changed so that vibration of the concrete is no longer necessary for compaction.
The article on self-compacting concrete For more information, read on.
Ready-made concrete
The most commonly used type of concrete is ready-mixed concrete. It is easy to use and readily available and causes comparatively fewer problems compared to manually mixed concrete.
Ready-mixed concrete is produced in the concrete batching plant according to the mixing plan approved by the engineer. There are factors that affect the concrete mix which must be taken into consideration when finalizing the mix composition.
The article, Read Concrete Mixing For more information, read on.
Concrete with air intake
Concrete that contains air bubbles is called air-entrained concrete. These bubbles are not caused by the lack of compaction of the concrete. They are added on purpose.
To produce air-entraining concrete, we can use air-entraining cement or additives.
The advantages of air-entrained concrete include improved concrete workability, less freezing and thawing, and reduced bleeding and segregation.
No thin concrete
Types of concrete made without the use of fine aggregates are called fine concrete. Thin concrete has several uses.
The main purpose of unfinanced concrete is to be used as drainage. Since it is a concrete mix, it is strong enough to withstand loads. Therefore, thin concrete cannot be used when a high load is applied in place of typical drains.
The article on no thin concrete For more information, continue reading.
Vacuum concrete
With this type of concrete, water is removed from the concrete using a vacuum.
The vacuum concrete is poured along with more water and then the water is sucked out.
These types of concrete gain strength quickly, taking around 10 days to reach their compressive strength. The strength of concrete is also about 25% higher than that of nominal concrete.
Shotcrete
Shotcrete can be identified as a type of concrete that is different from other types of concrete.
Shotcrete is a very thin mortar or concrete used for special surfaces. Normally we need formwork to hold the concrete. By using shotcrete we can avoid this to some extent.
In ground nail construction, the ground surface is covered with shotcrete to protect the slope by creating a connection between the ground nails. Additionally, shotcrete can be used for repair work.
There are two types of short cream, namely dry-mixed and wet-mixed.
Fiber concrete
The formation of microcracks at the interface between mortar and aggregate in normal concrete is a problem. The use of fiber reinforcement reduces the formation of cracks of this type and eliminates the fragility of the concrete.
The use of fibers helps transfer tension in internal microcracks.
There are different types of concrete that contain fibers.
- Discreet fiber concrete
- Fibrous concrete infiltrated with mud
The following types of fibers are used in construction:
- Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete – used in highway and aerodrome pavements, hydraulic structures, fiber sprayed concrete, refractory concrete, precast applications, structural applications, etc.
- Reinforced polypropylene fiber
- Glass fiber reinforced concrete
Polymer-impregnated concrete
“In polymer-impregnated concrete, low-viscosity, low-viscosity monomers or prepolymers are partially or completely introduced into the pore systems of hardened cement composites and then polymerized.
Partial or superficial impregnation improves durability and chemical resistance.
Application areas of polymer impregnated concrete include surface impregnation of bridge decks, use in irrigation structures, structural elements, marine and underwater applications, structural repairs, etc.
Polymer concrete
Polymer concrete is also known as synthetic resin concrete.
Polymer concrete is a composite concrete in which the cement-water mixture is replaced by the polymer in cement concrete. They are completely different types of concrete. Furthermore, the production of polymer concrete is carried out in the same way as that of cement concrete.
Polymer Modified Concrete
Polymer modified concrete is also called polymer cement concrete.
This composite concrete is made by incorporating a polymeric material into the concrete during the mixing stage.
JET cement concrete
Jet cement concrete is also known as ultra-fast curing cement concrete.
These types of cement have much better properties than regular Portland cement. The short setting time, the development of an extremely high initial resistance, etc. make cement more popular in the construction industry.
Blasting cement is also called one-hour cement because it is easily possible to achieve high initial strength in one hour. Calcium fluoroaluminate is the material that causes the high initial strength.
The application areas of shotcrete include, but are not limited to, building construction, concrete ceilings, repair work, winter concrete, production of concrete products, grouting, etc.
High performance concrete
High-performance concrete is also known as performance-enhanced concrete. High-performance concrete is a special type of concrete that offers special advantages that cannot be achieved with traditional types of concrete.
Performance improvements of high-performance concrete include ease of placement and compaction without segregation, initial strength, long-term mechanical properties, permeability, heat of hydration, density, toughness, volume stability and durability.
Comparison of concrete qualities as follows.
| Type of concrete | 28 days of compressive strength |
| Normal concrete | 10 – 20 N/ mm2 |
| Standard/normal concrete | 25 – 55 N/ mm2 |
| High performance concrete | 60 – 100 N/ mm2 |
| High performance concrete | 100 – 150 N/ mm2 |
| Exceptional concrete | > 150 N/mm 2 |
Embossed concrete
Stamped concrete is the same as regular concrete. It is a type of architectural concrete used to create architectural features.
Stamping occurs when concrete is in a plastic state. Based on architectural requirements, concrete is produced.
Concrete pumping
Any type of concrete falls into the pumped concrete category.
If the structure is taller or if the concrete needs to be done as soon as possible, the concrete is pumped. Various types of concrete available can be used for pumping.
The slump of the pumped concrete is maintained at an appropriate level to allow smooth pumping. Generally, the slump of pumped concrete is greater than 150 mm.
Decorative concrete
As the name suggests, decorative concrete is the type of concrete used for decorative purposes.
These types of concrete are used in areas where aesthetic appearance is important. Decorative concrete can be made from regular concrete.
Decorative concrete is created through additives of colors, shapes, etc.
Volumetric concrete
Volumetric concrete is common concrete. It is the type of concrete produced by volumetric dosing. Mixing proportions are based on the volume of the material, not the mass.
Mixing is done manually or, in small systems, by volumetric dosing or mixing.
In the article “Concrete Mixing” you can refer to the volumetric relationships for different types of concrete.
concrete fly ash
There is modern research to replace concrete with fly ash on a large scale. Currently, the maximum fly ash content according to BS EN 197 is 35%.
Fly ash is added to concrete to improve its durability, reduce heat of hydration of concrete, improve chemical resistance, etc.
For more information about concrete with fly ash, see the article Why It Should Be Used Concrete Fly Ash .
Silica Fume Concrete
Silica fume is a very fine material used as a filler in concrete. Due to its fineness, it gives additional properties to the concrete.
As with fly ash, silica fume can also be added up to 35%.
For more information about concrete with silica fume, see the article Pyrogenic Silica Concrete – Why in Concrete
Reinforced cement concrete
Reinforced cement concrete is a type of reinforced mortar. It is a combination of reinforcement and mortar. It is also used for plastering work.
It is an ancient construction method that was introduced in the 1840s.
Ferrocement is used to construct relatively thinner elements that require greater strength. Furthermore, it is used to develop various shapes, such as ship hulls, roofs and water tanks.
High resistance concrete
High-strength concrete is the type of concrete that has the greatest resistance. Concrete grades (cube strength) 25 and 30 are mainly used in construction.
As durability and load capacity requirements increase, the quality of concrete increases.
In general, concrete grade above 40 (40 N/mm2) is considered high strength concrete.
glass concrete
Glass concrete is a type of composite concrete or reinforced concrete. Glass concrete is also called glass fiber reinforced concrete.
These types of concrete can be made by two methods.
- Use of recycled glass
- Through the use of fiberglass reinforced glass
Recycled glass is mixed with concrete and used like normal concrete.
Fiberglass concrete, also called fiberglass reinforced concrete, is a type of high-performance concrete.
Asphalt concrete
Asphalt concrete is also known as asphalt.
It is a combination of aggregates and asphalt. It is not a type of concrete composed of cement, aggregates and water.
Asphalt concrete is used in road construction and is a new invention in the construction industry.
Lime concrete
Lime concrete is a type of concrete made from lime as a replacement for cement. In the past, before the invention of cement, lime was used as a binding agent.
In some countries, lime is easily available. This lime is used as a construction material.
Limestone concrete is used to build domes, floors, etc.
Fast concrete
These are special types of concrete manufactured for specific purposes. What types of concrete are used when the concrete needs to reach strength quickly?
The use of quick-setting cement or additives that accelerate the hydration process is the main method of producing quick-setting cement.
Fast-setting concrete is very important for special construction work, such as replacing support plates on an existing bridge, as the strength of the concrete is required at an early stage.
Smart concrete
It is a type of concrete used to monitor the condition of reinforced concrete structures.
This is achieved by adding a small amount of short carbon fibers to traditional concrete. This changes the electrical resistance of the concrete in response to load or stress.
There is more research being done on these types of concrete and it is likely that they will become even more popular in the future.
