Concrete Glossary
Admixture:
A material other than water, aggregate, hydraulic cement, supplementary cementing materials and fiber reinforcement, used as an ingredient of concrete or mortar, and added to the batch immediately before or during its mixing.
Aggregate: Granular material - such as sand, gravel, crushed stone, crushed hydraulic cement concrete, or iron blast-furnace slag - used with a hydraulic cementing medium to produce either concrete or mortar.
Air Content: The volume of air voids in cement paste, mortar or concrete, exclusive of pore space in aggregate particles; usually expressed as a percentage of total volume of the paste, mortar or concrete.
Batch: Quantity of either concrete or mortar mixed at one time.
Batch Weights: The weights of various materials (cement, supplementary cementing materials, water, aggregate and admixtures if used) that compose a batch of concrete.
Broom Finish: The surface texture obtained by stroking a broom over freshly placed concrete.
Brushed Surface: A sandy texture obtained by brushing the surface of freshly placed or slightly hardened concrete with a stiff brush for architectural effect or, in pavements, to increase skid resistance.
Cast-in-Place: Mortar or concrete which is deposited in the place where it is required to harden as part of the structure, as opposed to precast concrete.
Cement, Hydraulic: Mortar or concrete which is deposited in the place where it is required to harden as part of the structure, as opposed to precast concrete.
Cement, Portland: A hydraulic cement produced by pulverizing Portland cement clinker and usually containing calcium sulfate.
Concrete:
A composite material that consists of a binding medium within which are embedded particles or fragments of aggregate, usually a combination of fine aggregate and coarse aggregate. In Portland cement concrete, the binder is a mixture of Portland cement and water.
Concrete, Architectural: Concrete permanently exposed to view and which therefore requires special care in selection of the concrete materials, forming, placing and finishing to obtain the desired architectural appearance.
Concrete, Roller-Compacted: Concrete compacted by roller. In its fresh, unhardened state, concrete that will support a roller while being compacted.
Concrete, Structural: Concrete used to carry structural load or to form an integral part of a structure.
Curing: Maintenance of a satisfactory moisture content and temperature in concrete during its early stages so that it develops desired properties.
Durability: The ability of concrete to resist weathering action, chemical attack, abrasion and other service conditions.
Early Strength: Strength of concrete or mortar within 72 hours of placement.
Final Set: A degree of stiffening of a cement and water mixture greater than initial set, generally stated as the time in hours and minutes required for a cement paste to stiffen sufficiently to resist to an established degree.
Final Setting Time: The time required for a freshly mixed cement paste, mortar or concrete to achieve final set.
Finishing:
Leveling, smoothing, consolidating and otherwise treating surfaces of fresh or recently placed concrete or mortar to produce desired appearance and service.
Float Finish: A rather rough concrete surface texture obtained by finishing with a float.
Formwork: The total system of support for freshly placed concrete, including the mold or sheathing which contacts the concrete and supporting members, hardware and necessary bracing.
Heat of Hydration: Heat evolved by chemical reactions with water, such as during the setting and hardening of Portland cement.
Hydration: In concrete, the chemical reaction between hydraulic cement and water.
Initial Set: A degree of stiffening of a cement and water mixture less than final set, generally stated as the time in hours and minutes required for cement paste to stiffen sufficiently to resist to an established degree.
Precast: A concrete member that is cast and cured in other than its final position; the process of placing and finishing precast concrete.
Retardation: A reduction in the rate of either hardening or setting or both; an increase in the time required to reach initial and final setting or to develop early strength of fresh concrete, mortar or grout.
Set: The condition reached by a cement paste, mortar or concrete when it has lost plasticity to an arbitrary degree, usually measured in terms of resistance to penetration or deformation. Initial set refers to first stiffening; final set refers to attainment of significant rigidity.
Slump:
The condition reached by a cement paste, mortar or concrete when it has lost plasticity to an arbitrary degree, usually measured in terms of resistance to penetration or deformation. Initial set refers to first stiffening; final set refers to attainment of significant rigidity.
Trowel Finish: The smooth or textured finish of an unformed concrete surface obtained by trowelling.
Source and Attribution: EcoSmartTM Concrete Glossary, www.ecosmartconcrete.com/glossary.cfm
Admixture:
A material other than water, aggregate, hydraulic cement, supplementary cementing materials and fiber reinforcement, used as an ingredient of concrete or mortar, and added to the batch immediately before or during its mixing.
Aggregate: Granular material - such as sand, gravel, crushed stone, crushed hydraulic cement concrete, or iron blast-furnace slag - used with a hydraulic cementing medium to produce either concrete or mortar.
Air Content: The volume of air voids in cement paste, mortar or concrete, exclusive of pore space in aggregate particles; usually expressed as a percentage of total volume of the paste, mortar or concrete.
Batch: Quantity of either concrete or mortar mixed at one time.
Batch Weights: The weights of various materials (cement, supplementary cementing materials, water, aggregate and admixtures if used) that compose a batch of concrete.
Broom Finish: The surface texture obtained by stroking a broom over freshly placed concrete.
Brushed Surface: A sandy texture obtained by brushing the surface of freshly placed or slightly hardened concrete with a stiff brush for architectural effect or, in pavements, to increase skid resistance.
Cast-in-Place: Mortar or concrete which is deposited in the place where it is required to harden as part of the structure, as opposed to precast concrete.
Cement, Hydraulic: Mortar or concrete which is deposited in the place where it is required to harden as part of the structure, as opposed to precast concrete.
Cement, Portland: A hydraulic cement produced by pulverizing Portland cement clinker and usually containing calcium sulfate.
Concrete:
A composite material that consists of a binding medium within which are embedded particles or fragments of aggregate, usually a combination of fine aggregate and coarse aggregate. In Portland cement concrete, the binder is a mixture of Portland cement and water.
Concrete, Architectural: Concrete permanently exposed to view and which therefore requires special care in selection of the concrete materials, forming, placing and finishing to obtain the desired architectural appearance.
Concrete, Roller-Compacted: Concrete compacted by roller. In its fresh, unhardened state, concrete that will support a roller while being compacted.
Concrete, Structural: Concrete used to carry structural load or to form an integral part of a structure.
Curing: Maintenance of a satisfactory moisture content and temperature in concrete during its early stages so that it develops desired properties.
Durability: The ability of concrete to resist weathering action, chemical attack, abrasion and other service conditions.
Early Strength: Strength of concrete or mortar within 72 hours of placement.
Final Set: A degree of stiffening of a cement and water mixture greater than initial set, generally stated as the time in hours and minutes required for a cement paste to stiffen sufficiently to resist to an established degree.
Final Setting Time: The time required for a freshly mixed cement paste, mortar or concrete to achieve final set.
Finishing:
Leveling, smoothing, consolidating and otherwise treating surfaces of fresh or recently placed concrete or mortar to produce desired appearance and service.
Float Finish: A rather rough concrete surface texture obtained by finishing with a float.
Formwork: The total system of support for freshly placed concrete, including the mold or sheathing which contacts the concrete and supporting members, hardware and necessary bracing.
Heat of Hydration: Heat evolved by chemical reactions with water, such as during the setting and hardening of Portland cement.
Hydration: In concrete, the chemical reaction between hydraulic cement and water.
Initial Set: A degree of stiffening of a cement and water mixture less than final set, generally stated as the time in hours and minutes required for cement paste to stiffen sufficiently to resist to an established degree.
Precast: A concrete member that is cast and cured in other than its final position; the process of placing and finishing precast concrete.
Retardation: A reduction in the rate of either hardening or setting or both; an increase in the time required to reach initial and final setting or to develop early strength of fresh concrete, mortar or grout.
Set: The condition reached by a cement paste, mortar or concrete when it has lost plasticity to an arbitrary degree, usually measured in terms of resistance to penetration or deformation. Initial set refers to first stiffening; final set refers to attainment of significant rigidity.
Slump:
The condition reached by a cement paste, mortar or concrete when it has lost plasticity to an arbitrary degree, usually measured in terms of resistance to penetration or deformation. Initial set refers to first stiffening; final set refers to attainment of significant rigidity.
Trowel Finish: The smooth or textured finish of an unformed concrete surface obtained by trowelling.
Source and Attribution: EcoSmartTM Concrete Glossary, www.ecosmartconcrete.com/glossary.cfm