Facts About Concrete

With an estimated rate of 7 billion cubic yards per year, concrete is the second most widely consumed substance on Earth, after water.

The United States uses 891lbs. of cement per person each year. California uses 860 lbs. and Nevada uses 2,170 lbs. per person each year! (Source: US Census 2000 & USGS Mineral Survey.)

The Hoover Dam is the largest single public works project in the history of the United States, containing 3.25 million cubic yards of concrete (Enough to pave a two-lane highway from Vancouver to Montreal.)

Two high-rise buildings in Asia are the 1371 ft. Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, China and the 1378 ft. twin Petronas Towers in Kula Lumpar, Malaysia. These monumental towers use composite structural systems, combining vertical components such as cores, columns, and shear walls of concrete that have strengths of up to 11,600 psi (80 MPa).

Concrete pavement consistently serves 20-30 years without needing major repair, while asphalt generally lasts only 8-12 years before resurfacing, or significant repairs are required.

A ten year survey conducted in the mid 1980s of 2,000 miles of municipal roads in Kansas revealed that asphalt pavement was nine times more expensive to maintain than concrete.

America's first concrete road, built in 1891 in Bellefontaine, Ohio, is still in service today!