The concrete industry covers a broad range of terms that seems unique and unfamiliar for some people. To help the public on how to have a general understanding of the terms used within the industry.
Here is the list of the most commonly used terms and definitions in the industry:
Abrasive Aggregate
The aggregate used to make the concrete slab more abrasive.
Absolute Volume
This is the actual volume of different ingredients that can be determined by the weight of each ingredient being divided by its gravity. Then multiplied by the weight of one cubic foot of water in pounds.
Absorption
The process of water absorption is usually expressed in percentage.
Absorption Loss
Water losses that happen while the aggregate in a concrete mix undergoing the maturation process.
Acceleration
This refers to the process of quickly solidifying and hardening the concrete using an additive mix.
Aggregate
This refers to the mixture of sand, rock, crushed stone, expanded materials, or particles.
Asphalt
A black petroleum residue, which can either be solid or semisolid. It is a mixture of aggregates, binders, and fillers, used for different forms of construction like parking lots, roads, railway tracks, homes, buildings, sidewalks, ports, bicycle lands, etc.
Backfill
It is the process of replacing the excavated soil into a trench or foundation after the excavation work is done.
Ballast
It refers to the layer where the concrete is placed, usually made up of coarse stone, gravel, slag, etc.
Barrel
A unit used for measurement of Portland cement. It is equal to four bags of 376 pounds.
Bedding
It refers to the ready base for concrete or masonry.
Bond
The state of bonding between the cement paste and aggregates.
Casting
It refers to the process of pouring a liquid material into a mold or any hollow cavity of the desired shape it will take on as it solidifies.
Cement
A material that acts as a binder of fine ground powders that hardens when mixed with water. It is one of the components of concrete.
Cement Mixer
A manual or power operated container that is used to mix concrete ingredients using a circular motion.
Concrete
It refers to the mixture of Portland cement, aggregates such as gravel, sand, and rocks, and water. It is used to build a garage, homes, buildings sidewalks, patios, and walls.
Concrete Block
A concrete masonry unit that is bigger than a brick.
Contractor
A person licensed to perform certain types of construction work.
Dry pack
It is a stiff sand-cement mortar that used to renovate or repair narrow areas that are usually deep than wide.
Edger (edging trowel)
A tool used to polish edges or round corners on concrete or plaster.
Filler Forms
It is used to connect two metal forms that have gaps in between.
Finishing
This refers to the polishing, smoothing, compacting, and leveling of concrete or mortar to come up with the desired appearance or result.
Flatwork
It refers to flat surfaces like concrete floors, driveways, basements, and sidewalks.
Gunite
Another term for dry-mix shotcrete.
Hydration
It refers to the chemical reaction that takes place upon mixing the cement with water.
Joint
It refers to the state where multiple building materials are placed together using any extra joining products
Kiln
It refers to a furnace, oven, or heated enclosure for drying, hardening, or burning various materials.
Line
It refers to a nylon string that is used as a guide to forms in grading.
Masonry
It pertains to the cast-in-place concrete. It is the building structures of individual units that are bound together by mortar.
Mix
This is a general term referring to the combined ingredients of concrete.
Mortar
A mixture used in masonry work usually composed of cement, lime, sand, and water.
No-Fines Concrete
This refers to a concrete mix in which only the coarse gradation of aggregate is used.
Paver, Paving
Materials typically a stone, slab or masonry, that are placed down to make an even surface.
Placement
It also refers to pouring. This is a process of placing and consolidating concrete.
Portland Cement
It is the most common type of cement that is made up of a synthetic blend of limestone and clay. It is generally used worldwide as a basic ingredient in concrete, stucco, and mortar.
Reactive Aggregate
This refers to the aggregate substances that potentially react, expand, or develop chemically during the hydration process of the Portland cement.
Sack Mix
This refers to the amount of Portland cement in a concrete mix.
Tensile Strength
It refers to the maximum unit stress that a material is capable of handling or resisting under tension.
Troweling
It refers to the process of smoothing and compacting the unleveled surface of fresh concrete using a trowel.
Vermiculite
It is a type of an aggregate that is used as an aggregate in lightweight roof decks and deck fills.
Water Stop
It is a synthetic rubber strip of a concrete structure used to join in concrete foundation walls. It is also used to prevent water leaks in concrete joints.