Cement, Concrete: Has Gone High Tech +
(architects are using stylish high-tech concrete to create beautiful and greener buildings)
2. Complexity of structure or content.
3. A measure of how tightly mass is packed into a given space.
4. Mass per unit of volume.
In astronomy, the mean relative density compares a planet's density with the density of water, 62.4 pounds per cubic foot or one gram per cubic centimeter.
2. Existing as an essential constituent or characteristic.
A new kind of cement or concrete has been developed that is said to have strong aesthetic appeal and a sensuality which evokes images of white minerality
The new concrete is not the cheap, gray, easily cracked, soulless stuff that gave urbanization a bad name when it was used over Western cities in the 1960s, but a new bright and still relatively expensive concrete that has come onto the market this decade.
High-performance or ultra-high performance concrete, as it is known in the industry, is up to ten times stronger than regular concrete.
Although, pound-for-pound, it costs several times more than regular concrete, industry officials say price comparisons are misleading because the high-tech versions have different properties that make them more comparable to materials; such as, stainless steel or aluminum; which are often even more expensive.
The latest kind of concretes have other advantages, including setting much faster which gives architects, engineers, and builders far greater flexibility to use the material's long-lasting, thermal and acoustic properties in everything from pedestrian bridges to bus stations; and, in turn, contributing to big energy and other environmental savings.
Stronger concrete translates into significant gains for the environment because it can be used more thinly and consumes considerably fewer raw materials than regular concrete.
In addition, concrete has some properties that make it intrinsically energy-efficient when used in buildings. It insulates well because it doesn't let in wind and water.
Its density also means it stores heat during the day and releases it at night, enabling savings on air conditioning and heating; architects are playing with such possibilities as they design their new buildings.