Concrete is a composite material composed of aggregate bound together with a fluid cement that cures to a solid over time. It is the second-most-used substance (after water), [1] the most–widely used building material, [2] and the most-manufactured material in the world. [3]
concrete, in construction, structural material consisting of a hard, chemically inert particulate substance, known as aggregate (usually sand and gravel), that is bonded together by cement and water. Among the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians, the bonding substance most often used was clay.
Concrete is made up of three basic components: water, aggregate (rock, sand, or gravel) and Portland cement. Cement, usually in powder form, acts as a binding agent when mixed with water and aggregates. This combination, or concrete mix, will be poured and harden into the durable material with which we are all familiar.
Concrete structures boast some great qualities: In its most common form, concrete consists of aggregate (sand and stone), Portland cement, and water. The cement and water create a paste that acts as a binding agent for the aggregates.