Post-war Europe and Asia have seen the rapid development of German and Japan from a war torn countries into two of the most powerful nations in the world. Their achievement is nothing short of miraculous. However, as the two most populated countries; China and India, transform themselves into Asia powerhouses, cement and concrete will be their brick and mortar to sustain their double digit growth in economy.This book summarizes the history and development of cement and concrete. From prehistoric period to today, from ancient Egypt and Rome period to China, over tens of thousands of years of human civilization in the form of the gelled material (cement, concrete).The book is divided into seven chapters, including more than 300 references. Chapter 1 introduces the prehistoric gelled material development; Chapter 2 is about the birth of Portland cement and the technological application; Chapter 3 introduces the important role that concrete played in the human society developing process; Chapter 4 subdivides the performance and the wide application of different function of cement and concrete; Chapter 5 focuses on northern Europe, especially the history of Norwegian cement; Chapter 6 elaborates the development of concrete in China and its impact in the world's ancient civilizations history; Chapter 7 describes the development prospect of cement and concrete.

Concrete: We use it for our buildings, bridges, dams, and roads. We walk on it, drive on it, and many of us live and work within its walls. But very few of us know what it is. We take for granted this ubiquitous substance, which both literally and figuratively comprises much of modern civilization's constructed environment; yet the story of its creation and development features a cast of fascinating characters and remarkable historical episodes. Featuring a new epilogue on the Surfside condominium collapse and the current state of infrastructure in America, this book delves into this history, opening readers' eyes at every turn. In a lively narrative peppered with intriguing details, author Robert Courland describes how some of the most famous personalities of history became involved in the development and use of concrete-including King Herod the Great of Judea, the Roman emperor Hadrian, Thomas Edison (who once owned the largest concrete cement plant in the world), and architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Courland points to recent archaeological evidence suggesting that the discovery of concrete directly led to the Neolithic Revolution and the rise of the earliest civilizations. Much later, the Romans reached extraordinarily high standards for concrete production, showcasing their achievement in iconic buildings like the Coliseum and the Pantheon. Amazingly, with the fall of the Roman Empire, the secrets of concrete manufacturing were lost for over a millennium. The author explains that when concrete was rediscovered in the late eighteenth century it was initially viewed as an interesting novelty or, at best, a specialized building material suitable only for a narrow range of applications. It was only toward the end of the nineteenth century that the use of concrete exploded. During this rapid expansion, industry lobbyists tried to disguise the fact that modern concrete had certain defects and critical shortcomings. It is now recognized that modern concrete, unlike its Roman predecessor, gradually disintegrates with age. Compounding this problem is another distressing fact: the manufacture of concrete cement is a major contributor to global warming. Concrete Planet is filled with incredible stories, fascinating characters, surprising facts, and an array of intriguing insights into the building material that forms the basis of the infrastructure on which we depend.

Concrete is decidedly the world's most important building material today. Approximately twice as much concrete is used each year compared with all other building materials combined. Concrete: History and Accounts addresses the exciting history of concrete, from its humble beginnings, through ancient history and Roman times, up to modern-day concrete made of Portland cement. A number of specialist fields from the more recent history of concrete are treated in separate chapters. In the final chapter, the future of this building material is predicted. The book is peppered with examples, accounts, and anecdotes from a number of countries.

Concrete is a material used widely in building and construction applications worldwide; hence, it plays a significant role in the global construction sector. Cement is a major component of concrete and is used in construction applications, either on its own or as a composite with other materials, to improve workability, durability, strength, weight, and shrinkage. However, cement and concrete production and use have adverse environmental effects. Thus, great efforts have been made to produce eco-friendly concrete. This book examines several aspects of sustainable concrete technologies, including new forms of concrete as well as different approaches for creating sustainable cement.

Authors Jerry Tracy, Jack J. Murphy and James J. Murtagh invite fire chiefs, fire officers, firefighters, fire protection engineers, building management and the greater fire community to explore High-Rise Buildings: Understanding the Vertical Challenges as a foundation for coordination and control of high-rise building operations. Features: - Learn about cognitive command from many invaluable high-rise fire case histories - Manage and respond to all-hazards events within the high-rise environment for generations to come - A guideline and reference for fire professionals, building owners and system engineers, the building construction community, property managers What others are saying: "High-Rise Buildings: Understanding the Vertical Challenges is literally a "bible" for high-rise buildings, protection from fire, and the challenges they present to firefighters." --Paul Grimwood, Kent (UK) Fire and Rescue Service, Ph.D., Principal, Fire Protection Engineer "High-Rise Buildings: Understanding the Vertical Challenges fills an important void in high-rise firefighting and is an important asset to fire officers." --Glenn P. Corbett, Fire Engineering Magazine, Technical Editor

As the first of its kind, this book presents a balanced view of the effect of condensed silica fume on the physical, chemical, mechanical, and durability aspects with respect to cement paste, mortar, and concrete. It discusses the nature and types of condensed silica fume, physical characteristics, product variation and problems involved in its handling and transportation.