Publications issued by the Association of American
Portland Cement Manufacturers,
Philadelphia, Pa.
At the office of the above Association there are available books dealing with concrete construction of all classes. These books describe the construction of silos, fence posts, tanks, troughs, concrete roads, and many other works. Upon request there will be sent a list of the publications in print. The books, with one or two exceptions, are sent free of cost.
What is “Concrete”?
Concrete—a manufactured stone—is made by mixing together Portland cement, sand and stone (or gravel). Various proportions of each are used, depending upon the use to which the concrete is put. About half an hour after mixing these materials together, the mass begins to stiffen, until, in from half-a-day to a day, it becomes so hard that you cannot dent it with the hand. By a month the mass is hard like stone—indeed, harder than most stones.
Materials
Before attempting to describe the actual process of mixing and placing concrete, it will be well for us to have a pretty clear understanding as to the nature of the materials with which we are to work, and how best these may be selected.