The ancient Greeks were the first to use a form of concrete in 27 B.C.

Approximately 15,000,000 tons of Portland cement are used annually for residential concrete construction applications.

Cement constitutes the largest volume of material used in concrete.

Crushed ice or liquid nitrogen are common substitutes for part of the mixing water when placing concrete in hot weather.

The rate of heat is the speed at which heat is generated in concrete.

Entrained air refers to undesirable air voids that occur in all concrete mixes.

The color in a concrete roof tile is mixed throughout the entire tile, providing a durable finish.

Stucco is an exterior finishing material that consists of Portland cement, lime, sand, and water.

Water is the ingredient with the lowest percentage in a concrete mix.

The dry process is the most common method used to manufacture cement.

Calcium hydroxide is the most common accelerator additive.

Green concrete is concrete that has been placed but has not yet reached its full strength.

Welded wire reinforcement is thick-gauge wire joined in a grid and is used to reinforce and increase the tensile strength of concrete.

Glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) provides significant reinforcement of strength.

Workability is the ability of plastic concrete to flow against its internal resistance.

A cast-in-place concrete component is a concrete component cast in its final position using movable formwork.

The Portland Cement Association was founded in 1916 by S.T. Fowler.

Portland cement is classified by the EPA into seven types.

Water that contains a small amount of sugar or citrates may be suitable for drinking but not for mixing concrete.

Seawater used as mixing water produces concrete with high initial strength, but low long-term strength with a total strength loss of 15%.

In general, a lower water-cement ratio results in a denser and stiffer cement paste.

High-density concrete can weigh up to 8100 lb/yd³.

A chemical stain penetrates and reacts with the concrete below the surface to produce a permanently colored surface that does not fade.

The aspect ratio of the fibers used for fiber-reinforced concrete is the length of the fiber divided by its diameter.

Steel fibers help prevent shrinkage cracks.

A continuously cast concrete component is a concrete component cast in its final position using movable formwork.

A No. 16 sieve is used to separate coarse and fine aggregate.

The water in a concrete mix does not evaporate; it decomposes and chemically combines with the calcium.

Additives are added to the concrete that has already been placed in the formwork.

A roller-compacted concrete mix typically uses 40% less water and 30% less cement than a standard concrete mix.

Water-reducing admixtures are produced from lignosulfonates, which are waste products generated in the manufacture of wood pulp.

A large amount (0.2% to 1%) of sugar prevents cement from setting.

Concrete with fly ash is more expensive than standard concrete and has better workability and finish.

Calcium chloride causes the reinforcement bar to rust.

Natural color pigments are more desirable than synthetically produced pigments due to their high degree of purity, color uniformity, and resistance to fading.