Cement & Concrete Basics

In its simplest form, concrete is a mixture of paste and aggregates. The paste,
composed of portland cement and water, coats the surface of the fine and coarse
aggregates. Through a chemical reaction called hydration, the paste hardens and gains
strength to form the rock-like mass known as concrete.

Within this process lies the key to a remarkable trait of concrete: it's plastic and
malleable when newly mixed, strong and durable when hardened.

Concrete’s durability, strength and relatively low cost make it the backbone of buildings
and infrastructure worldwide—houses, schools and hospitals as well as airports,
bridges, highways and rail systems. The most-produced material on Earth will only be
more in demand as, for example, developing nations become increasingly urban,
extreme weather events necessitate more durable building materials and the price of
other infrastructure materials continues to rise.

Even construction professionals sometimes incorrectly use the terms cement and
concrete interchangeably. Cement is actually an ingredient of concrete. It is the fine
powder that, when mixed with water, sand, and gravel or crushed stone (fine and
coarse aggregate), forms the rock-like mass known as concrete.