Throughout the Science Festival (November 14-16), Lafarge and the central laboratory of the Ponts et Chaussées engineering school created at the Grand Palais (Paris), the "Technological garden of concrete". From scientific research into materials to the boldest creations: in 4 stages, children and adults took an educational journey into concrete...
You can also discover all the rich diversity of concrete!
The manufacturing of concrete – a natural liquid stone |
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Concrete is a living natural material. It is a fresh liquid
product which must be consumed locally (within 50km) and quickly (within 2
hours) since it goes off quickly.
Other elements can be added to the concrete "recipe":
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AdditivesAdditives can be incorporated in small amounts (less than 10 kg/m³) to produce customized concretes:
retardants increase the amount of time during which a concrete can be worked... CementCement manufacturing is carried out using limestone (80%) and clay (20%) which are baked in ovens heated to very high temperatures (1500°C) and become "clinker"... |
At the heart of concrete – scientific research |
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Concrete is apparently very simple. And yet what was until recently simply a convenient material tested empirically, concrete is now a product which is studied scientifically in the lab and which reveals considerable development potential. Concrete has entered a new high-tech era!
The last 20 years have seen the invention of very innovative high-tech concretes with extremely varied properties opening new perspectives for the use of concrete. This new technological era has been possible thanks to:
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Scientific partnersIn 2006, the Group launched the "Science of sustainable construction materials" Chair with the Ecole des Ponts and the Ecole Polytechnique, 2 prestigious engineering schools in France. Lafarge has many other partnerships with well-known institutes and universities around the world. GlossaryConcretes which are self-leveling, self-compacting, fiber-reinforced or ultra-high performance... a vocabulary for every trade! See the glossary for all technical terms. |
Designs in concrete – nothing is too bold |
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Far from its
sad, gray image, in a few years concrete has become a material which lends
itself to all sorts of architectural impulses: buildings and furniture
magnify concrete, which expresses itself in every shape and color. |
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Concrete and the future – all aboard for sustainable construction! |
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Sustainable construction48% of Lafarge's research investment is devoted to sustainable construction, with the particular aim of:
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At a time when towns and cities are considering more sustainable ways of developing, concrete has a promising future, both as a material which is reliable, economic and environmentally-friendly. It is also unrivalled in a rural setting as it enables the opening up of the road network and the development of infrastructures.
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Last update on 11/13/2008


