Self-Consolidating Concrete: Benefits and Applications

Self-consolidating concrete (SCC), also known as self-compacting concrete, is a type of building material that flows and spreads into place and fills the form it’s going into easily without added mechanical vibration for successful placement and curing.

There are many practical applications and benefits to using self-consolidating concrete, and at Best Concrete Mix Corp., we can help you decide if it’s a suitable type for your project. 

History Of Self-Consolidating Concrete

SCC first originated in Japan in the mid-1980s at a time when skilled labor was in short supply. Eventually, it made its way to North America and Europe.

8 Self-Consolidating Concrete Benefits

This durable building material brings with it a host of benefits for contractors and builders, some of which are listed below.

Applications Of Self-Consolidating Concrete

Architectural concrete is one of the most popular applications of self-consolidating concrete, as it can flow into hard-to-reach areas. This can include large columns, decorative column bases, and other large structures.

Many famous buildings around the United States have benefited from the use of self-consolidating concrete, including the National Museum for the American Indian in Washington, D.C., the Comcast Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the Freedom Tower at 1 WTC, New York City.

Considerations When Using Self-Consolidating Concrete

While this type of building material is suitable for a wide range of applications and supplies many benefits, there are also other factors to consider that may affect its overall performance and capability. It’s important for an experienced concrete company to manage these factors during construction in cooperation with other contractors or builders.

Contact Best Concrete Mix Corp. For Commercial And Residential Concrete Construction Projects

Whether you need concrete for a residential building, parking garage, medical office, or other commercial building, you can count on Best Concrete Mix Corp. in Flushing, NY, to provide reliable concrete pouring services. Give us a call at 718-539-5946 for more information on self-consolidating concrete and the other types of concrete we offer or place an order with dispatch at 718-539-5946.

Signs Of Sub-Par Concrete

Whether you need to pour a concrete slab for a parking area, piers or a full basement, it’s important that the concrete from your supplier is made of quality materials and is rated for the project. Read up on how to spot the signs of sub-par concrete and what some of the quality tests are that are typically performed before the material is brought on site to ensure its integrity.

Concrete Problems

Spalling

Spalling happens when water enters concrete and forces the surface to either peel, pop out or flake. It happens because of moisture and sometimes salt as well. Eventually, it can cause crumbling and eventual destruction of a structure.

In general, spalling takes awhile to show up, and older homes are particularly vulnerable to spalling incidents in their basements. Usually, incidents of spalling are not necessarily attributed to the quality of materials from a concrete supplier, although excess water is sometimes a culprit.

There are some things concrete suppliers can to to prevent spalling in the first place, including:

Popouts

These generally cone-shaped pits, sometimes found in concrete flatwork such as driveways or sidewalks, happen when a piece of the concrete has broken away due to internal pressure. This can occur when moisture gets into the concrete, freezes and then expands.

Luckily, popouts do not decrease the lifespan of a concrete slab or basement — customers just find them aesthetically unpleasant.

Tips for preventing popouts include using:

Concrete Supplier Quality Tests

To ensure their concrete is of adequate quality, many concrete suppliers undergo a series of quality tests before it’s used.

Slump Test

A concrete slump test measures the consistency of fresh concrete before it sets and hardens. It’s usually placed in a metal cone that’s open at both ends and has attached handles. It’s filled with concrete in four stages, and the cone is lifted vertically upward. Finally, the concrete supplier measures the slump of the concrete from the top of the slumped concrete to the level of the top of the cone.

Other Concrete Tests

In addition to the slump test, other concrete tests for quality and durability include:

Quality concrete suppliers should be performing these tests on the quality and durability of their product according to industry standards.

Concrete Supplier in Flushing, NY

At Best Concrete Mix Corp., we provide professional concrete services for our customers, mainly government contracts and other large projects. We provide all different types of concrete for our customers depending on the project specifications, and we conduct thorough tests to ensure its durability and quality.

Contact Best Concrete Mix Corp.

If you’re in need of a professional quality concrete supplier, look no further than Best Concrete Mix Corp. in Flushing, New York. We have what it takes to make sure your project is done right and in a timely manner. Give us a call to find out how we can help at 718-539-5946, or to place an order.

Best Concrete Mix Corp.

We have been serving the NYC area for over 27 years. Count on us for ready mix concrete. Our experience and customer service method is second to none. Call Now!

Best Concrete Mix Corp.

We have been serving the NYC area for over 27 years. Count on us for ready mix concrete. Our experience and customer service method is second to none. Call Now!

Best Concrete Mix Corp.

We have been serving the NYC area for over 27 years. Count on us for ready mix concrete. Our experience and customer service method is second to none. Call Now!

Identifying Your Needs for Concrete: How Much Do You Need And What Type Is Required?

At Best Concrete Mix Corp., we can work with you directly to determine the best type of concrete necessary for your project. The type you use might vary depending on whether you’re building a full basement, a bridge, waterways or a foundation for a high-rise building.

Types Of Concrete

Best Concrete Mix Corp. offers a wide variety of concrete types to suit all sorts of industrial, governmental and residential projects.

Pervious Concrete

This type of porous or permeable concrete allows water from runoff to pass through it. It makes a great choice for stormwater infrastructure, roadways, sidewalks, patios and noise barriers, among others, and it has several other environmental benefits, including mitigation of pollutants, minimizing flash flooding, and protecting streams and water-based ecosystems.

Gunite Concrete

This type of unique concrete can be sprayed via air pressure onto surfaces at a high speed, making it ideal for structures that are curved, such as skate parks, domes and bridges. For residential customers, gunite concrete is a great choice for swimming pools because of its smooth surface and overall versatility.

High-Strength Concrete

This type of concrete generally has a compressive strength of 6,000 psi or more, making it suitable for applications where the structure to be built above it is large, such as a high-rise building, or any application where the pouring of the concrete surpasses a depth of 2 inches. Projects that utilize high-strength concrete include bridges, because it allows girders to be placed further apart than usual, as well as parking decks, curbs and ramps.

Flexural Strength Concrete

Flexural strength is slightly different from high-strength concrete in that it refers to the amount of tensile load the concrete can bear before failing, which basically means how far it can bend or stretch before it breaks or cracks. The location of a concrete structural element determines how much flexural strength it needs. First-floor columns, for instance, need more flexural strength compared to concrete used for non-load-bearing walls.

High-Early Concrete

This type of rapid-setting concrete is designed for quick construction projects, especially those that take place in cold weather. However, the same properties that allow it to be quick-setting also contribute to eventual cracking and increased shrinkage. Projects where high-early concrete might be used include concrete pavement repairs, airport pavement, concrete overlays, on-site precast applications and new pavement for a busy highway to minimize the duration of road closures.

EPS Concrete

This specialized type of high-grade concrete is known for being lightweight. It’s made from a combination of cement and expanded polystyrene, and most of its applications are within so-called green commercial buildings or homes.

How Much Concrete Do I Need?

At Best Concrete Mix Corp., we can work with you directly to estimate how much concrete you need based on the size and volume of your project.

Concrete is generally ordered in cubic yards. To find the amount, multiply the length by the width by the depth of your project. For example, if you’re pouring a concrete slab, the formula might look something like this:

Add 10 percent or so to account for spillage and depth variations and you end up with about 2.04 cubic yards.

Best Concrete Mix Corp. For All Your Concrete Pouring Needs

For more specific information on the type of concrete best for your project or to get some advice on how much you may need to complete it, contact Best Concrete Mix Corp. in Flushing, New York. For general inquiries, call 718-539-5946, or to place an order, call 718-539-5946.

Do You Require High-Strength Concrete For Your Construction Project?

High-strength concrete is a necessary building material for many industrial and commercial projects. Find out if you might require high-strength concrete for your building project.

What Is High-Strength Concrete?

High-strength concrete is a type of high-performance concrete that has a specified compressive strength of 6,000 psi or greater. Its production requires more research and more attention to detail during its development compared to conventional concrete.

The compressive strength of this type of concrete is measured using 6″ x 12″ or 4″ x 8″ cylinders, usually at 56 days or 90 days, depending on the project specifications and eventual application.

What Is High-Strength Concrete Used For?

Manufacturing High-Strength Concrete

Suppliers and other businesses that manufacture high-strength concrete make optimal use of the basic ingredients that make up normal-strength concrete. They are aware of what factors affect compression levels and how to manipulate them to achieve the end goal of high-strength concrete.

Uses Of High-Strength Concrete

Projects that need high-strength concrete include those where weight is important or where smaller support elements are used, generally because of architectural considerations. High-strength concrete carries loads more efficiently, reduces the amount of material placed and can reduce the overall cost of the structure.

High-Rise Buildings

The most common use of high-strength concrete can be seen in high-rise buildings in busy urban areas. High-rise structures considered suitable for this type of concrete are typically buildings over 30 stories. For instance, the 969-foot-tall building at 311 South Wacker Drive in Chicago uses concrete with compressive strengths up to 12,000 psi. It’s one of the tallest concrete buildings in the United States.

Highway Bridges

When constructing highway bridges, using high-strength concrete allows girders to span greater lengths than ordinary-strength concrete girders. Using high-strength concrete in this application also may ensure that fewer girders are required, which creates an economic advantage for the municipality.

Smaller Applications

Other projects where high-strength concrete may be necessary are when the material is being placed in depths greater than 2 inches. Fence posts, curbs, ramps and foundations are all great examples of where high-strength concrete can be beneficial.

Best Concrete Mix Corp. Produces High-Strength Concrete

At Best Concrete Mix Corp., we want to be your go-to source for high-strength concrete, whether you’re building a high-rise structure, airport runway, parking lot or other project.

We have two large plants that produce many types of concrete to suit whatever your construction requirements may be. Having two plants allows us to provide more product than our competitors in the same amount of time.

Contact Best Concrete Mix Corp. For Professional Concrete Pouring Services in Flushing, NY

If you’re an urban developer looking for a reliable, expert source of concrete pouring, contact Best Concrete Mix Corp. in Flushing, New York. We work primarily with businesses, governmental contracts and other large projects to deliver professional concrete services for our customers. For general inquiries, give us a call at 718-539-5946, or to place an order, call 718-539-5946.

Best Concrete Mix Corp.

We have been serving the NYC area for over 27 years. Count on us for ready mix concrete. Our experience and customer service method is second to none. Call Now!