HOMEWORK #2.

2
PAU MARTINEZ-ORTUNO ID:113369847

1. What is the difference between cement and concrete?

Concrete is a rocklike material produced by mixing coarse and fine aggregates,

portland cement and water an allowing the mixture to harden.
Cement is a fine gray powder.
2. List the conditions that must be met to make a satisfactory concrete mix.
A satisfactory concrete mix is made of fresh cement; clean,well-graded
aggregates; and clean water. Admixtures are sometimes added to the mix to
regulate its properties orthe properties of the finished concrete. The concrete
mustbe thoroughly blended in the correct proportions, withspecial attention
given to avoiding excessive water content. To avoid segregation of its
constituents, it must be handled without moving or dropping it excessive
distances, and compacted in the forms without excessive agitation.

3. List the precautions that should be taken to cure concrete properly. How do
these change in very hot, very windy, and very cold weather?
The curing reaction takes place over a very long period of time, but concrete is
commonly designed on the basis of the strength that reaches after 28 days. If it
is allowed to dry out at any point during this time period, the strength of the
resulting concrete will be reduced and its surface hardness and durability can be
adversely affected.
There is a particular danger when slabs are poured in hot or windy weather,
which can cause the surface of the pour to dry out and crack. Temporary windbreaks may be erected, shade may be provided, evaporation retarders may be
added to the concrete and frequent fogging of the air directly over the surface of
the slab with a fine spray of water may be required. At low temperatures, the
curing reaction in concrete proceeds much more slowly. If concrete reaches subfrezing temperatures while curing, the reaction stops completely until the
temperature of the concrete rises above the freezing rank. It is important that
the concrete be protected from very low temperatures or frezing until it is
adequately cured.

4. What problems are likely to occur if concrete has too low a slump? Too high a
slump? How can the slump be increased without increasing the water content of
the concrete mixture?
Creating concrete with a low slump makes it more difficult to work. Low slump
concrete requires more effort to spread and is not suitable for some
applications. This can prevent your concrete from consolidating properly after it
is poured. Typically, air bubbles introduced to your concrete during the mixing
process are removed during the consolidation process using vibration or
compaction. Low slump concrete is thicker and more difficult to consolidate and
can leave trapped pockets of air in your concrete that can decrease its ability to
withstand compression.
5. Explain how steel reinforcing bars work in concrete.
Concrete supports high loads in compression but not in tension, that's why it's
usually reinforced with steel bars that support really well tension loads.
6. Explain the role of stirrups in beams.
They are used to resist the tensile forces that occur in a diagonal orientation
near the ends of the beam
7. Explain the role of ties in columns.
Ties wrapped around the vertical bars are used to help to prevent them from
buckling under load.
8. What does shrinkage temperature steel do? Where is it used?
Prevent cracks from forming parallel to the primary reinforcing because of
concrete shrinkage and temperature-induced stresses. It is used in one-way
slabs and set at right angles to and on top of the primary reinforcing bars.
9. Explain the differences between reinforcing and prestressing and the relative
advantages and disadvantages of each.
Reinforcing is where they expect the tensile forces to be in order to prevent
them from happening. Prestressing places the entire concrete slab in
compresion by streching the reinforcing bars before the beam is loaded
10. Under what circumstances would you use pretensioning, and under what
circumstances would you use posttensioning?
Pretensioning is used with precast concrete members, which are created in the
factory. Posttensioning is mostly done in place on the building site.

11. Explain the advantages of using higher-strength reinforcing bars in concrete

that requires very heavy reinforcing.
Using higher strength reinforcing bars in concrete that requires very heavy
reinforcing gives the concrete strength in needed areas.