Properties Of Cement Concrete

The cement concrete possesses the following important properties:

(1) It has a high compressive strength.

(2) It is free from corrosion and there is no appreciable effect of atmospheric agents on it.

(3) It hardens with age and the process of hardening continues for a long time after the concrete has attained sufficient strength. It is this property of cement concrete which gives it a distinct place among the building materials.

(4) It is proved to be more economical than steel. This is due to the fact that sand and pebbles or crushed rock, forming the bulk of cement concrete, to the extent of about 80 to 90 %, are usually available at moderate cost. The formwork, which is of steel or timber, can be used over and over again or for other purposes after it is removed.

(5) It blinds rapidly with steel and as it is weak in tension, the steel reinforcement is placed in cement concrete at suitable places to take up the tensile stresses. This is termed as the Reinforced Cement Concrete or simply R.C.C.

(6) Under the following two conditions, it has a tendency to shrink.

    (i) There is initial shrinkage of cement concrete which is mainly due to the loss of water through forms, absorption by surfaces of forms, etc.

    (ii) The shrinkage of cement concrete occurs as it hardness. This tendency of cement concrete can be minimized by proper curing of concrete.