Publisher's Synopsis
At the beginning of any project involving concrete, one must ask the most im-portant question, "How long do I want the concrete to last?" The answer to this question will determine the answers to most other questions which must be an-swered concerning the building. Only you can determine that answer and make it happen. And the answer will have far greater effects on your business than just that one project. While this book was not written to be an engineering textbook, an engineer who has worked around the world read the English version of this book and stated that it was the best engineering book she had ever studied. First, it was written in simple terms, so all could understand it; and second, it assumed that on the job site that there will be numerous problems. The genesis behind this book is that in many countries quality concrete is not produced because raw materials meeting ASTM and other standards are not availa-ble and because many builders do not understand why some buildings survive dis-asters and others do not. Finally, the book shows how to build homes which are dis-aster-resistant, yet low in cost. The pages of this book address low-cost, disaster-resistant small homes. While much of the information in this book is applicable to larger homes and to other structures, that is not the primary market. Conventional concrete block masonry is not adressed within this book, because in most third-world countries, quality masonry units needed for bond berms and for corners are not available even if quality standard concrete masonry units are availa-ble. This book describes how to use materials which do not meet standards to pro-duce better concrete. The book also explains the chemistry and physics of concrete in a manner, so it can easily be grasped, so the man with a shovel in his hand can easily understand what is happening and how he can produce better concrete. The book then addresses different construction technologies and how they can be used to construct disaster-resistant homes. The Abreviated Table of Contents includes: How Long Do You Want Your Concrete to Last?, Concrete Physics, Why Does Concrete Fail?, Mix Design Considerations, Mixing Concrete, Foundations & Slabs Reinforcing, Beams and Columns, Concrete, Masonry, Stucco, Surface Bonding Cement, Roofs, Building Disaster-Resistant Homes, Measuring Strength, How Long Will This Concrete Job Last?, Addendums, Glossary
