Mineral—Concrete

This is an “elemental research” category page. It outlines interests around a specific topic. The links at the bottom lead to mostly photographic documentation of experiments and projects that touch on the topic.

Concrete:

Taxonomy:
ElementalMineral —> Concrete

CONCRETE:(Béton)

An artificial material reconstituted from three primary components that are: aggregates (or inertmatter: sand, gravels, pebbles, etc.), a binder(lime, tar, cement, etc.), a reactive that can play two roles: that of reactive and binder or a single as the water which only intervenes as reactive.The fresh concrete forms a wet mass, more or less plastic, that can be poured in molds or
formworks.

Jean-Paul Kurtz’ Dictionary of Civil Engineering

Concrete according to the technical description above is any combination of stone and a binder which forms a solid or semi-solid rock-like substance. This would include all sorts of combinations including Asphalt Concrete, Tarmac, Blacktop, Synthetic Concretes and what is most commonly understood by the venacular term ‘concrete’ — Portland Cement Concrete.

This section deals specifically with Portland Cement Concrete, its history, its combination with other materials such as steel and some of the less commonly known uses to which it can be put, such as boat building.

Concrete
A term is concrete if it possesses a referent in the external physical
world, i.e. if it refers to a reality that can be perceived by the five senses.
Concrete terms make up what is known as the figurative level of
meaning. They are contrasted with abstract, conceptual terms to be
found on the deep level. Concrete terms can have a wealth of meanings depending on the context in which they are used, in other words they have a high semic density. Abstract terms, on the other hand, are much simpler and have low semic density. The term ‘car’, for instance, in addition to the concrete object may also signify ‘speed’, ‘freedom’ or ‘prestige’ etc., whereas the abstract concepts ‘freedom’ or ‘prestige’ are restricted in their meanings.


Dictionary of Semiotics, Bronwen MartinFelizitas Ringham
Bloomsbury Publishing, 2000

Research and Projects associated with Cyanotype: