Glossary of Concrete Terms Commonly Used

Concrete is an essential part of most construction works. It is not possible to understand if there is no idea about the common concrete terms or words or materials used in the construction process. Here is the commonly used concrete terms glossary.

Accelerators:   Admixtures that decrease the setting time by increasing the rate of hydration.

Admixture:   A material other than water, aggregates, or cement that is used as an ingredient of concrete or mortar to control setting and early hardening, workability, or to provide additional cementing properties.

Aggregate: Inert solid bodies such as crushed rock, sand, gravel.

aggregate used in concrete construction
Aggregate

Binder:   Hardened cement paste.

Bleed:  To have water seep to the surface of the cement paste due to settling.

Calcination:  Decomposition due to the loss of bound water and carbon dioxide.

Clinker:  The material that emerges from the cement kiln after burning. It is from dark, porous nodules that are ground with a small amount of gypsum to get cement.

Consistency: Ability to flow

Cure:  To keep concrete moist during initial hardening.

Dormancy period: The time period that concrete retains its workability.

Forms:  Holders in which concrete is placed to harden.

Gypsum: Calcium sulfate dihydrate, CaSO4.2H2O added to cement to regulate setting.

Kiln: High-temperature oven.

Limestone: The mineral rock of calcium carbonate.

Set: Transformation of cement paste or concrete from a fluid-like consistency to a stiff mass.

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