-
A
-
B
-
C
-
D
-
E
-
F
-
I
-
L
-
M
A
- Additives
-
Additives improve the properties of concrete: setting time, viscosity, porosity, mechanical resistance, etc. There are 9 families of additive: accelerators, retarders, plasticizers, flow promoters, air-entraining agents, anti-freezers, water-repellents and curing agents.
- Aggregates
-
Aggregates are small rock fragments (0.08 to 80 mm) of mineral origin. Aggregates come in different types: maritime, fluvial and terrestrial. They may be sand, gravel or crushed gravel. Aggregates, mixed with water and cement, are essential for the production of concrete.
B
- Bituminous concrete
-
Bituminous concretes are made of gravel, sand, filler and bitumen (a petroleum product), which acts as a binder. They are generally used as the top layer of road surfaces.
C
- Cantilever
-
Cantilever refers to the section of a construction which extends into an overhang, i.e. beyond its supports. A cornice or a balcony, for example, are cantilevered constructions.
- Cement paste
-
An unhardened or hardened mixture of finely divided hydraulic cementitious material and water
- Clinker
-
Clinker is the main ingredient in cement. These hardened granules are obtained by firing a mixture of approximately 80% limestone and 20% clay to a high temperature. Cement is obtained by grinding clinker and, in some cases, supplementing it with additives.
- Compressive strength
-
Amount of "pressing" pressure a material can resist. It is measures in mpa, PSI or PSF.
- Concrete
-
Concrete is a building material made by mixing water, aggregates and sand with a binding agent (usually cement) and, if necessary, with additions. This mixture is made on building sites and factories.
The characteristics of a concrete can vary greatly depending on the choice of cement and cement-aggregate ratio, the type of aggregate used, the inclusion of additions, etc. The way concretes are used and surface treated can also have an impact on their performance and appearance. So concrete is reconstituted stone and is sometimes referred to as "liquid stone".
D
- Ductility
-
Ductility refers to a material's capacity to be stretched or bent without breaking. A material which does not have this quality is fragile.
E
- Early stiffening
-
Rapid loss of plasticity or rapid development of rigidity in freshly mixed hydraulic cement paste, mortar, concrete
- Early-day strength
-
Compressive strength measured on the first, third and seventh day
F
- False set
-
Early stiffening with little evolution of considerable heat, which cannot be dispelled by further mixing without the addition of water
- Fiber-reinforced concrete
-
Fiber-reinforced concrete contains an array of different fibers (polypropylene, metal, fiberglass, carbon, etc.) that create a reinforced mesh, improving the concrete's solidity and resistance to cracking. This is a rapidly developing approach to reinforcing concrete.
- Final Setting Time (FST)
-
The number of minutes it takes for cement, concrete or mortar to harden and start developing strength
I
- Initial Setting Time (IST)
-
The number of minutes it takes for cement, concrete or mortar to start to lose its plastic properties
L
- Later-day strength
-
Compressive strength measured on the 28th and 56th day and beyond
- Lime
-
Lime is a binding agent obtained from the calcination of limestone. Limes are divided into 2 categories depending on whether they are set by exposure to carbon dioxide (slaked lime) or to water (hydraulic lime).
Slaked lime is mainly used in traditional finishing plasters, pointing mortars and whitewashes. Hydraulic lime contains clay, giving it similar properties to cement and making it suitable for use as an undercoat or render.
M
- Mechanical resistance
-
A material's mechanical resistance is its resistance to tearing off, bending, water steam diffusion and various physical constraints.
N
- Normal consistency
-
A degree of plasticity of a hydraulic cement paste that is appropriate for testing as measured by a stipulated method
P
- Prestressing
-
The technique of combining concrete's high level of resistance to compression with steel cables' resistance to traction, by placing them in permanent opposition. With resistance equal to a traditional reinforced concrete beam, a prestressed beam allows a significant increase in weight and a reduction in the cost of load-bearing structures.
- Prestressing by post-tensioning
-
Post-tensioning is a prestressing technique, as opposed to prestressing by pre-tensioning. This procedure, also called "prestressing with cables", involves pouring concrete sections after placing tubular ducts into the mold. After the concrete has hardened, steel cable is passed through the duct and then tensioned. This technique is used for strong load-bearing elements (superstructures of art works, footbridges, very long or cantilevered beams, etc.)
- Prestressing by pre-tensioning
-
Pre-tensioning is a prestressing technique, as opposed to prestressing by post-tensioning. This procedure, also called "prestressing with tendons", involves pouring the concrete after placing steel tendons into the mold. After the shuttering is removed, the tension of the tendons does not relax inside the concrete section. This technique applies to sections of limited dimensions (girders, sleepers, posts, etc.)
S
- Screed
-
A screed is a thin layer of mortar (15 to 50 mm) that is spread over a base layer of slabs, tiling, etc. It gives a flat surface and is generally covered by another material, such as floor tiling.
- Self-compacting, self-consolidating concrete
-
A variant of self-placing concretes, self-compacting, self-consolidating concrete concretes have a specially formulated and graded composition to ensure a fluid spread. They form smooth-surfaced slabs with no need for vibration or float finishing (used to make a surface flat).
- Sustainable construction
-
Sustainable construction aims to limit the impact of buildings on the environment while enhancing their quality in terms of aesthetics, sustainability, durability and strength. Sustainable construction techniques apply across the entire lifecycle of a building, from the selection of initial materials to demolition and recycling.
Sustainable construction signifies in particular:- the use of recyclable materials to conserve natural resources,
- the integration of renewable energy sources into a building's design,
- the optimization of renewable energy sources.
