Impact of Concrete on Building and Infrastructure Resilience

From California wildfires to hurricanes Irma, Michael, and Florence, America has witnessed several natural and man-made disasters over the years. Americans now, more than ever, understand the importance of using sustainable and resilient building materials that can withstand the wrath of nature. Concrete is one such material.

Concrete – The Wonder Material

There is a reason why key decision makers such as community developers, architects, and designers stress the use of concrete in key development projects. Concrete is one of the most widely used construction materials in the U.S. It is more eco-friendly than many other building materials. It doesn’t burn, rust or rot, and is famed for its extraordinary resilience and longevity.

Concrete has come a long way. Today, different varieties of concrete are used in residential and commercial building projects. While the physical properties of one variety can vary from another, they all offer superior protection against storms and other natural calamities.

A building is said to be resilient if it can withstand disastrous events. Your building’s resilience primarily depends on your choice of building material. Some common building materials used in construction projects around the country include wood, stone, steel, brick, and iron.

These materials have their pros and cons. Take, for instance, wood. It is susceptible to decay. Natural stone has insufficient elasticity, while steel needs extensive maintenance and offers little resistance to heat. A better alternative to these construction materials is concrete. Thanks to the many advantages of using concrete, it can be incorporated into different aspects of a building or infrastructure system project.

How Does Concrete Affect Building Resilience?

Improved Resistance to Water Damage

Concrete is flood resilient. It absorbs very little water. Because it is a poor absorber of water, concrete does not rot. Suspended timber ground floors in a home can be replaced with concrete slabs to improve water resistance.

Enhanced Fire Resistance

Concrete does not burn. Using concrete in your building construction project will decrease the risk of fire during its useful life.

Prevents Overheating

Global warming is one of the major problems faced by humanity today. As global temperature increases, maintaining an ideal house temperature has become more challenging now than ever. Using concrete in your building will help improve its resilience to overheating.

Known for its high thermal resistance, concrete can help reduce the problem of overheating by absorbing excess heat and later releasing it.

Additionally, concrete is heavier than many other building materials, which is precisely the reason why concrete buildings are able to resist damage caused by disasters.

Some other benefits of concrete include:

• Superior durability in almost any type of environment
• Sustainability (is completely recyclable)
• Available in a range of colors, shapes, and patterns
• Low-maintenance material
• Absorbs sound

Concrete has been around for quite some time now. Thanks to the many benefits of concrete, its popularity as a building material is not going to fade any time soon. At Bayshore Materials Inc., we stock different types of concrete. We are a reputable building supplies center in Vallejo, CA. Whatever the nature and scope of your project, we will have the right construction supplies for you. To enquire about concrete delivery services near you, call us at 707-644-0859.