Concrete is all around us but we probably don’t give it much thought. After all, concrete is dull, right? Well, actually, concrete is quite fascinating when you look at some interesting facts about this versatile material.
- Most Used
Concrete is the most widely used substance in the world. Two billion tonnes are mixed every year and China is the biggest producer. It is such a simple material to make with only water, cement and aggregate and this might explain its popularity. For details on Concrete Tewkesbury, visit https://www.monstermixconcrete.co.uk/concrete-tewkesbury
- Romans
Surprisingly, it was the Romans who perfected the art of concrete mixing. Amazingly, the Pantheon, built in 125AD, still stands as the biggest unsupported concrete building on Earth. Concrete gets its name from the Romans too. It comes from the latin ‘concretus’ which means to grow together.
- Concrete helped during the Second World War
Concrete was used to detect enemy aircraft during WWII. Concrete ‘mirrors’ with microphones attached acted as an early warning system for approaching enemy aircraft and had an impressive audio range of 27 miles!
- Huge Dam
The biggest dam in the world is the Three Gorges Dam in China and it took a whopping 16 million cubic metres of concrete during its construction. It wasn’t a quick job either as it took 17 years to complete.
- Tall Tales
The tallest concrete structure in the world is the Trump International Hotel and Tower which stands at 423 metres. Concrete is a popular choice for high rise buildings as it is more straightforward to maintain and cheaper than steel.
