engleski

Concrete and Crime

Concrete is very frequently used in modern architecture. In spite of this, often we do not consider all the consequences of using it. Already at the beginning of its life-cycle, it is possible that its real mechanical characteristics, obtained at the building site, do not match the required values. Many parameters and conditions should be controlled during construction. Why do we use such a material, which requires a precision obtainable in a laboratory but not always at a building site? Why do we cut and crush good stone, transport it from the mining site to the plant, then crumble it, then burn it, then transport it to the building site &#8211 ; ; ; using energy at each step of the process - to create an artificial stone of poorer quality than the original one? What a waste of energy! What a pollution! And then we pour that liquid mass in formworks done from other materials (timber, steel, concrete, polymers) in order to build column-beam system, or wall-slab system, or various shell structural systems - mostly without much imagination or creativity. In reinforced concrete (RC) structures the steel reinforcement is used and is forever lost in the case of dismantling, or accidental destruction of the RC structure. In prestressed concrete we prestress it with cables, so it is always prestressed, to be able to carry the live load - which actually relaxes it. What a waste of material and energy! In housing construction, the use of concrete is particularly inadequate. Since most people do not like living in high-rise buildings, but prefer family houses, or not too large housing structures, there is really no need to use concrete for constructing walls. Masonry, or timber structural systems (with composite floor structures) are at least equally suitable for this type of housing, or even better suited to human needs.

concrete ; energy ; pollution ; housing construction ; alternative structural systems

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