Aggregate: Inert granular materials like sand, gravel, or crushed stone used in making concrete. They make up 60 to 80% of the concrete volume.
Air-Entrained Concrete: Concrete that contains tiny, intentionally entrained air bubbles to improve its freeze-thaw durability.
Admixture: A substance added to concrete to modify its properties, such as accelerators, retarders, and plasticizers.
Accelerator: A chemical admixture that speeds up the setting time of concrete.
Aggregate Grading: The distribution of particle sizes within an aggregate. Proper grading helps ensure that the mix is strong and has the desired finish.
Anchor Bolt: A bolt set into concrete to hold structural elements in place.
Anti-Hydro: A water-reducing admixture that helps reduce water content without sacrificing the workability of concrete.
Apron: A flat section of concrete, usually at the entrance of a garage or around a doorway.
Batch: A quantity of concrete mixed at one time.
Bleed Water: Water that rises to the surface of freshly placed concrete.
Blistering: Formation of surface bubbles on concrete due to excessive moisture or finishing too early.
Bonding Agent: A material used to increase the bond between old and new concrete.
Bull Float: A tool with a large, flat surface used to smooth fresh concrete before it hardens.
Calcium Chloride: A common accelerator used to speed up the curing process.
Cement: The binding component in concrete, typically Portland cement, that hardens and binds the aggregate.
Cementitious: Materials that have cement-like properties, such as fly ash or slag.
Curing: The process of maintaining moisture and temperature conditions in freshly placed concrete to ensure proper hydration and strength development.
Concrete: A mixture of cement, water, and aggregates that hardens over time to form a solid material.
Compressive Strength: The capacity of a material to withstand axially directed pushing forces.
Control Joint: A joint intentionally created in concrete to control where cracks appear.
Crazing: A network of fine cracks on the surface of concrete.
Crack Control: Techniques or materials used to minimize cracking in concrete, including control joints, fibers, and rebar.
Dampproofing: A treatment that reduces water penetration through concrete.
Darby: A flat tool used to smooth and level fresh concrete.
De-icer: Chemicals used to melt ice and snow on concrete surfaces.
Durability: The ability of concrete to withstand weathering, chemical attack, and abrasion over time.
Dusting: A condition where a fine powder forms on the surface of concrete, often due to poor curing or finishing.
Efflorescence: White, powdery residue on the surface of concrete due to water moving through the material, carrying soluble salts to the surface.
Expansion Joint: A joint designed to absorb movement in the concrete, often filled with a compressible material.
Epoxy: A type of durable adhesive or coating used for bonding or as a protective layer on concrete surfaces.
Finishing: The process of smoothing and leveling the surface of freshly poured concrete.
Fly Ash: A byproduct of coal combustion used as a supplementary cementitious material to improve concrete's strength and workability.
Formwork: Temporary or permanent molds used to shape and support concrete until it hardens.
Frost Line: The depth to which the ground can freeze. Foundations need to be below this line to avoid frost heave.
Grout: A fluid concrete mix used to fill gaps or spaces.
Grade: The elevation of the ground or the slope of a surface.
Granular: A coarse-grained material, like gravel, used in concrete mixes or as a base.
Honeycombing: Voids or cavities left in concrete due to improper consolidation.
Hydration: The chemical reaction between water and cement that causes concrete to harden.
Hydraulic Cement: Cement that sets and hardens by chemical reaction with water, such as Portland cement.
Integral Color: Color mixed into the concrete before placement to provide uniform coloration.
Isolation Joint: A type of joint that separates different parts of a concrete structure, allowing independent movement.
Joint Filler: A compressible material placed in joints to provide flexibility.
Joint Sealer: A sealant applied to a concrete joint to prevent water and debris infiltration.
Lightweight Concrete: Concrete made with lightweight aggregates to reduce weight.
Lintel: A horizontal beam of concrete used to support loads above openings such as doors and windows.
Mix Design: The selection of ingredients and the determination of their proportions to produce concrete with specific properties.
Moisture Barrier: A material layer used to prevent moisture from passing through the concrete.
Mortar: A mixture of cement, sand, and water used to bond masonry units together.
Non-Slip Finish: A surface finish designed to provide traction and reduce slipperiness.
Non-Shrink Grout: A type of grout that expands slightly as it sets, preventing shrinkage cracks.
Overlays: Thin layers of concrete applied to an existing surface to repair or improve appearance.
Oxide: Pigments used to color concrete.
Particle Size: The diameter of individual particles of a material, commonly affecting concrete properties like workability and strength.
Permeability: The measure of concrete's ability to allow fluids to pass through it, impacting its durability.
Plasticizer: A chemical admixture that increases the workability of concrete without adding more water.
Portland Cement: The most common type of cement used as a binder in concrete. It sets and hardens by reacting with water.
Pozzolan: A siliceous material (like fly ash) that, when mixed with water, reacts with calcium hydroxide to form compounds with cementitious properties.
Precast Concrete: Concrete elements that are cast in a controlled environment and then transported to the construction site.
Prestressed Concrete: Concrete in which internal stresses are introduced before loading to improve strength and performance.
Pumpable Concrete: A concrete mix designed to be easily pumped through pipelines for placing at the construction site.
Quarry Dust: A by-product of crushing stone, often used as a filler material in concrete mixes.
Quick-Setting Cement: Cement that sets rapidly, reducing the setting time for quicker construction.
Rebar (Reinforcing Bar): Steel bars or mesh used in concrete to increase its tensile strength.
Ready-Mix Concrete: Concrete that is mixed at a batching plant and delivered to the site in a truck mixer.
Retarder: An admixture that slows the setting time of concrete, allowing more time for placement.
Reinforced Concrete: Concrete that contains reinforcement (such as steel bars) to improve its structural properties.
Resin Concrete: Concrete made with a resin binder instead of traditional cement, often for specialized applications.
Rubblization: A process of breaking down old concrete pavement into rubble for use as a base layer for new pavement
Screed: A tool or layer used to level freshly placed concrete to the correct grade.
Segregation: The separation of concrete ingredients, resulting in a non-uniform mix.
Shotcrete: A method of spraying concrete or mortar onto a surface at high velocity.
Shrinkage: The reduction in volume of concrete as it dries and hardens, potentially leading to cracks.
Slag Cement: A by-product of steel manufacturing used as a supplementary cementitious material in concrete.
Slump: A measure of concrete's workability or consistency, determined by the slump test.
Spalling: The breaking, chipping, or flaking of concrete, often due to freeze-thaw cycles or corrosion.
Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs): Materials like fly ash, slag, and silica fume that are used to partially replace cement in concrete.
Tensile Strength: The resistance of concrete to forces that attempt to pull it apart.
Trowel: A flat tool used to smooth and finish the surface of fresh concrete.
Type I, II, III, IV, V Cement: Classifications of Portland cement based on their properties and intended uses, such as general purpose, sulfate resistance, or high early strength.
Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC): A type of concrete with superior strength, durability, and resistance to environmental conditions.
Uniaxial Compression: A test that measures the strength of concrete when subjected to pressure from one direction.
Vibration: The process of shaking fresh concrete to remove air pockets and ensure proper consolidation.
Viscosity-Modifying Admixture (VMA): An additive that increases the viscosity of concrete, improving stability and reducing segregation.
Void Ratio: The volume of voids or empty spaces in concrete, usually filled with air or water.
Water-Cement Ratio (w/c ratio): The ratio of the weight of water to the weight of cement in a concrete mix. A key factor affecting strength and durability.
Waterproofing Admixture: An additive used to make concrete resistant to water penetration.
Workability: The ease with which fresh concrete can be mixed, placed, and finished.
Water-Reducing Admixture: A chemical that reduces the amount of water needed in a concrete mix without affecting its workability.
W/C Ratio: The water-to-cement ratio, crucial for determining the final strength and durability of concrete.
X-Ray Diffraction (XRD): A technique used to analyze the crystalline structure of materials, including concrete constituents.
Xypex: A brand of concrete waterproofing products that use crystalline technology to block water pathways.
Yield Strength: The stress at which a material begins to deform plastically, important in determining the load-bearing capacity of reinforced concrete.
Zero-Slump Concrete: Concrete with very low water content, making it nearly dry and unable to slump. Often used for precast concrete.
Zinc Coating: A protective layer applied to steel reinforcement to prevent corrosion.
Zoning: Regulations that dictate how land can be used, affecting construction materials, including concrete.