Concrete is a material that has been in use in construction since the Roman times, when slaked lime was mixed with pozzolana, a volcanic ash from Mount Vesuvius. It has come a long way over the last 2,000 years to be one of the most used building materials. Looking around our built environment there will hardly be a structure that doesn’t contain it, as its versatility, durability and cost-effectiveness continue to make it a key component in today’s buildings. However, Normal Weight Concrete (NWC) can cause issues during design, as its natural density is high in relation to its strength, meaning a greater dead weight when compared to other building materials. This can be addressed in a number of ways, depending upon the required properties of the concrete and its end use.
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