Awesome Facts You Need to Know About Concrete

Concrete is popular for a reason and these facts can prove it.

Concrete is considered the popular and go-to material of many in the construction world. This is because concrete has a lot of advantages on top of being an affordable building material. Not only that, but concrete can be transformed into other construction types, such as concrete pavers, stamped concrete, and more.

However, what do we know about concrete besides being a popular building material? Don’t fret because this blog will share the awesome facts you need to know about concrete!

Since Prehistoric Times

As mentioned before, concrete is known as a popular construction material. However, did you know that concrete’s already been popular since prehistoric times? Thousands of years ago, around 6500 BC, the earliest records of a substance similar to concrete being used were found in the UAE by the Nabataea or Bedouin people, a nomadic Arab tribe. They used concrete to build floors, housing, and hidden subterranean water cisterns that helped them survive in the desert.

When in Rome

The Famous Pantheon

Even though the Romans weren’t the ones who created concrete, they were the ones who utilized concrete to its full potential. The famous Pantheon is known for being the most preserved monument in Rome. Not only that, but it also holds another title which is the world’s largest unreinforced concrete structure.

Crossing Bridges

The Roman Bridges are also another concrete title conqueror in Rome. Known for their integrity and longevity, these Roman bridges have been known to exist for more than a thousand years. One of those bridges was the Bridge Fabricius, which was erected as early as 62 BC. The bridge had undergone structural modifications in 21 BC, making it stronger and still usable today.

A Weapon of War

In the Air

Who would have thought that concrete had a huge role in the war? It turns out that during World War ll, Britain created concrete acoustic mirrors, also known as ‘listening ears.’ These concrete mirrors lined the coast of England, ready to alert the British to any enemies in the sky. Suppose any aircraft flies within 15 miles of these listening ears. In that case, they give Britain 15 minutes to prepare themselves for an attack from the air.

On the Land

Concrete has played a crucial part in wars on the land as well. It has been used against IEDs by lining the major roads with concrete walls at least 12 feet tall. Concrete has also been used as barriers and bunkers, effectively reducing the damage from incoming enemy attacks.

An Unlikely Fan

Did you know that Thomas Edison, the famous person who invented the light bulb, was really passionate about concrete as well? He held 49 patents related to it.

His patents include concrete processing equipment, which was a huge help in concrete production. And another one that wasn’t as practical is the home mold, which enables you to pour concrete in the mold and get an instant house. However, the mold required about 2,300 cast iron pieces, deeming it expensive and difficult to assemble and remove.

It also appears that he envisioned a future where concrete is the main element in making houses, furniture, and even refrigerators and pianos. We appreciate the concept of the concrete house. Still, it’s probably best to give us more time to think about concrete fridges and pianos.

Concrete has been around for hundreds or thousands of years. And considering how it's still a favored construction material, it doesn’t seem like it's going away any time soon, either. Because of how long it has existed, we get stories and facts about concrete that we never knew before. We hope these amazing facts about concrete make you think that concrete is more than just durable and affordable construction material for your property.

Want more concrete facts and trivia? Give us a call, and our concrete contractors will be more than happy to assist you with anything regarding concrete!