Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO 4 ·2H 2 O. [4] It is widely mined and is used as a fertilizer and as the main constituent in many forms of plaster, drywall and blackboard or sidewalk chalk.
Gypsum concrete is a building material used as a floor underlayment used in wood-frame and concrete construction for fire ratings, sound reduction, radiant heating, and floor leveling. [1] It is a mixture of gypsum plaster, Portland cement , and sand .
A gypsum block is made of gypsum plaster and water. The manufacturing process [1] is automated at production plants where raw gypsum (CaSO 4 ·2H 2 O) is ground and dried, then heated to remove three-quarters of the bound water and thus transformed into calcium sulfate hemihydrate (CaSO 4 ·½H 2 O), also known as gypsum plaster, stucco, calcined gypsum or plaster of Paris.
Decorative use of portland cement panels on London's Grosvenor estate [16] The most common use for portland cement is in the production of concrete. [17] Concrete is a composite material consisting of aggregate (gravel and sand), cement, and water. As a construction material, concrete can be cast in almost any shape desired, and once hardened ...
Plaster was first used as a building material and for decoration in the Middle East at least 7,000 years ago. In Egypt, gypsum was burned in open fires, crushed into powder, and mixed with water to create plaster, used as a mortar between the blocks of pyramids and to provide a smooth wall facing.
A major component of concrete is cement, a fine powder used mainly to bind sand and coarser aggregates together in concrete. Although a variety of cement types exist, the most common is " Portland cement ", which is produced by mixing clinker with smaller quantities of other additives such as gypsum and ground limestone.
Gypsum mortar, also called plaster of Paris, was used in the construction of many ancient structures. It is made from gypsum, which requires a lower firing temperature. It is therefore easier to make than lime mortar and sets up much faster, which may be a reason it was used as the typical mortar in ancient, brick arch and vault construction.
Sand is used with cement, and sometimes lime, to make mortar for masonry work and plaster. Sand is also used as a part of the concrete mix. An important low-cost building material in countries with high sand content soils is the Sandcrete block, which is weaker but cheaper than fired clay bricks. [13] Sand reinforced polyester composite are ...