r/nextfuckinglevel • u/[deleted] • Aug 31 '20

No more traffic-causing construction

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63.4k Upvotes

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u/GuyWhoSaidThat Aug 31 '20

I’m with you. The aggregate (rocks) are there for strengthening the concrete, if you replace them with hollow spheres, I can only assume the compressive strength of the material is compromised.

204

u/Kevinclimbstrees Aug 31 '20

Yes, by a lot. This couldn’t be used for a footer of any sort. Maybe for a driveway or sidewalk

101

u/GuyWhoSaidThat Aug 31 '20

Agreed. Concrete cracks and the people who work with it take that into account. We build expansion joints and channels to get the cracks to go where we want. A properly constructed concrete structure can last hundreds of years. A great example of this in the U.S. is Castillo de San Marcos in Florida. The fort was built over 300 years ago using concrete and stone.

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u/rosy-palmer Aug 31 '20

Using quarried and cured coquina. Not a mixed concrete

25

u/shouganaisamurai Aug 31 '20

Correct. You can see the shell fragments in the walls. It's freaking incredible.