7Structural Concrete Frames

Reinforced concrete is one of the primary structural materials used in engineering and building works. Concrete has been used for a long time, but it was the pioneering work of French engineer Joseph Monier that led to a patent in 1867 for the process of strengthening concrete by embedding steel in it. Since the early days of reinforcing concrete with steel to enhance its strength, reinforced concrete has become a common material on construction sites, used extensively for civil engineering works and widely applied in the construction of buildings. Reinforced concrete is either placed in situ or manufactured as precast units off site in factories and then delivered and installed on site. Reinforced concrete structures can be recycled at the end of the building’s life: precast units can sometimes be removed with little damage occurring to the units and be reused, whereas aggregate and steel reinforcement can be recovered from the demolition of the in situ reinforced concrete.

7.1 Concrete

The materials used in the production of concrete are cement, aggregate and water.

Cement

The cement used today was first developed by Joseph Aspdin, a Leeds builder, who took out a patent in 1824 for the manufacture of Portland cement. He developed the material for the production of artificial stone and named it Portland cement because, in its hardened state, it resembled natural Portland limestone in texture and colour. The materials of Aspdin’s cement, limestone ...

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