This one has held up pretty well. The hole in the top might leak just a bit, however.
Posted on 11/15/2007 2:53:39 PM PST by Squidpup
Innovations in methods and ingredients have made possible lightweight bridges, color-changing buildings, and furniture created from this efficient material
Concrete is ubiquitous in the modern world, yet most people don't give it a passing thought. Why would they? It may be the most consumed substance on earth after water, but the stuff of pavements and parking garages is also a bit dull—or so most of us thought. In fact, innovations in the science of concrete have enabled architects and designers to achieve remarkable feats that would have been impossible in earlier years—everything from ultra-thin bridges spanning hundreds of feet to furniture made from lightweight blends.
One of the big factors behind the resurgence of concrete is the environmental movement. Scientists and architects have rediscovered concrete's potential to save energy, since its thermal efficiency reduces the need for air conditioning and heating. But with this reawakening has come demand for more lightweight, durable, and aesthetic concrete by the designers who use it. ..SNIP..
(Excerpt) Read more at businessweek.com ...
Concrete is the new plastic!
And Plastic is the new money!.............
Gee, are we in a for a resurgence of 1970’s-style concrete buildings? That’s a retro-trend I could do without.
The Graduate will never be the same.
Do spray-crete domes leak as bad as they say?
I’d have to check with my Civil Engineering expert on that, but I would think that if the concrete is of good quality and properly poured and cured, they’d be few problems. Of course, with a union construction crew...
The style is classic 1955 Disneyland forever. Don’t settle for stucco, get the genuine Spray-crete. It will last forever, unfortunately.
Yeah, but moving the stuff to vacuum is a real nut buster.................
Years ago I was impressed with concrete that could be poured under water... it’s come a long way.
This one has held up pretty well. The hole in the top might leak just a bit, however.
Fortunately it doesn’t rain much there.
But, but, but I thought concrete was evil because of the massive amount of “green house gases” given off in its manufacture?
As long as no one threw any sugar into a batch.
Ordinary folks will have trouble recognizing fiber reinforced concrete with added plasticizers from their fathers concrete.
Is “Feats of concrete” anything like “Feet of clay”?
The humble building material that gets me is “hydraulic cement”.
Developed by the Romans, then the secret of it’s making/use was
lost for centuries (or so The History Channel sez!).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pozzolana
Cement doesn’t “Leak”, it merely wicks moisture through it as it is a porus material. Take basements for instance. Paint it well and it won’t leak. Check them out yet? http://www.aidomes.com/
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