The material also known as concrete is called concrete.
From the Latin concrētus , concrete is an adjective that refers to something solid, material or compact. The term is usually opposed to the general or abstract, since it refers to something determined and precise .
For example: “I don't want any more excuses, I need a concrete answer” , “I told him my ideas but he asked me for a specific project and the truth is that I don't know what to say” , “After several hours of negotiations, it can be said that I still haven't There is nothing concrete."
The concrete as something precise
In the same way, we must not overlook that, very frequently, we use in our daily language an expression that incorporates this term that concerns us now. We are referring to “specifically”. It is an adverbial phrase that we use as a synonym for “precisely.”
All this without forgetting that there is also what is known as a concrete number, which indicates the surface of a certain area.
Synonym of concrete
The concept has another use in several Latin American countries, derived from the English word concrete . In this case, concrete is the mixture of stones and mortar also known as concrete . It should be noted that mortar, on the other hand, is the mixture of cement, sand and water.
Concrete is a very common material in construction since it has the ability to resist large compression forces. However, it does not perform well under other types of stresses, such as bending or pulling. Therefore, concrete is often used in conjunction with steel , in a compound called reinforced concrete .
Various additives are frequently added to concrete to modify its characteristics. Among these additives it is possible to mention waterproofing agents, colorants and setting retarders, among others.
The Alcatraz prison, located on an island in San Francisco (United States), was built with concrete, among other materials.
The origins of concrete
We must emphasize that this type of material already has its origin in Ancient Egypt and since then it would also be used in later centuries by other cultures and civilizations, such as Greece or the Roman Empire. Precisely during this last historical period it should be noted that concrete was used in part to erect constructions as important as the Colosseum in Rome.
Other unique data that is worth knowing about this material is that the first bridge created entirely with it was made in the French city of Souillac in 1816. And all of this without forgetting that in the United States one of the most significant that used it as we know it today is the Erie Canal.
Works made with this material
Residential buildings, bridges, tunnels and canals are some of the works that can be done with concrete or reinforced concrete. The world's leading concrete producer is China , followed by India , the United States , Japan and Russia , in that order.
The Panama Canal, the internationally famous Alcatraz prison and even the spectacular Sydney Opera House, located in Australia, are other surprising buildings that have also been built using, in part, the material at hand, concrete.