Concrete is the most used material in the world. With its strength and durability it has created structures of great size that have stood the test of time. Here are just a few interesting facts about the amazing material known as concrete.
Ancient Romans used concrete to create many structures that still stand today including the Colosseum and the Pantheon. The Pantheon was built in 120 AD and is considered to be the largest unsupported concrete structure in the world. Concrete used by the ancient Romans was made from a mixture of lime and ash from Mount Vesuvius.
The Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago is the world’s tallest concrete building. The 92-story building was built in 2009 and stands 1,387 feet tall.
The first concrete street in the Americas was built in 1891 in Bellefontaine Ohio. Court Avenue in downtown Bellefontaine is no longer driven on today, but is still made solidly of concrete.
The first concrete road was built in 1909 on Woodward Avenue in northwest Detroit. The mile-long road was built by the Wayne County Road Commission (where Henry Ford was a member) and cost $13, 492.83. Until then, non-dirt roads were built using bricks, cobblestones, or a mix of tar and stones called macadam.
Concrete aided during World War II, but not in the way we might think. Before radar was created, the British made structures called parabolic acoustic mirrors – commonly called ‘listening ears’ – to detect incoming aircraft. A network of these enormous concrete sound reflectors was constructed along England’s coast during the early days of WWII and can still be seen today.
One of the most unique and unforgettable museums is made of concrete. Off the coast of the Mexican island Isla Mujeres in the Machines Reefs of the Caribbean Sea is the Cancun Underwater Museum (MUSA). The underwater museum boasts sculptures made with pH-neutral cement. Opened in 2010, MUSA was granted permission to sink 1,200 statues. The statues were made with this type of cement so that coral, seaweed and algae are able to grow and develop. The underwater museum is to benefit the protection of the coral reefs.
The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River in China is both the heaviest concrete structure in the world and the world’s largest concrete pour. The Dam took 17 years to complete and is estimated to contain 144,309,356,753 pounds of concrete.
Since 1940, Becker & Scrivens has been the premier precast concrete supplier for commercial, industrial, residential, agricultural, and institutional, and municipal government customers. Our team is knowledgeable on all aspects of ready-mix concrete operations and provides the expert workmanship our customers depend on. When you need a trusted family-owned-and-operated concrete supplier, you can rely on Becker & Scrivens.
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