[Greenbuilding] Unconscionable Concrete Use

[John Salmen]

This is such a complex topic. Next to water concrete is the most used
substance in the world. Did the romans use a recipe that produced less
carbon dioxide. Possibly not as materials that require less temperature
typically release carbon dioxide at some earlier point in a process (like
magnesium oxide). Does the product bear any legitimate relationship to its
thousands of years of history and use – probably not as it is now a
political, economic and even criminal issue as the mob controlled concrete
for decades as well as toxic waste dumping contracts and the garbage burning
facilities. May sound like a conspiracy thing but both the economics and the
mixture is pretty well documented. You are allowed 5% of unlisted contents
for concrete...go figure out what got added. Is this any different than the
history and contemporary use of other mainstream products. I get grumpy just
thinking about it.

 

As you said the problem is we use too much. A footing for a 1 story building
can be by most codes for most soil conditions be 4” thick by 12” wide with a
4” rise – not the typical 16x8x8 that everyone expects to see . Proper use
of reinforcement properly placed can also reduce concrete usage. Good design
can be piers and grade beams – not just dig an oversize hole and fill it
with concrete. 

 

 

 

 

From: Greenbuilding [mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org]
On Behalf Of Peter/Pam Martin
Sent: November-21-15 12:38 PM
To: greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org
Subject: [Greenbuilding] Unconscionable Concrete Use

 

Learned in an article at
http://www.ancient-origins.net/history/ten-things-ancients-did-better-us-004
557 that the Romans made concrete by mixing lime, volcanic rock, and
seawater that contained the ideal crystalline structure of Tobermorite.
Purportedly the Roman concrete had a greater strength and durability than
modern concrete as well as only requiring baking the limestone at 900°C. Any
present attempts at duplicating this process?

Another concrete observation: I've been watching a series on public TV
called Grand Designs where the builders use inordinate quantities of
concrete, with some of the slab pours having the consistency of soup. Is
this normal practice in the UK? It reminds me of the building methods of
Mike "I don't use one stud when I can use five" Holmes.

Peter

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