Why a book about concrete? Because we use so much of it -- far more than any other building material. It seems only sensible to inquire as to how we can use this ubiquitous building material without undue damage to the life and landscapes that surround us. You may have heard of fly ash as an eco-friendly alternative to using portland cement in concrete, but until now there has been no easy guide to how it makes superior concrete, or to how to use it. This book isn't just for people who want to "build green" -- it's for people who want to build better concrete.

How much further should the affluent world push its material consumption? Does relative dematerialization lead to absolute decline in demand for materials? These and many other questions are discussed and answered in Making the Modern World: Materials and Dematerialization. Over the course of time, the modern world has become dependent on unprecedented flows of materials. Now even the most efficient production processes and the highest practical rates of recycling may not be enough to result in dematerialization rates that would be high enough to negate the rising demand for materials generated by continuing population growth and rising standards of living. This book explores the costs of this dependence and the potential for substantial dematerialization of modern economies. Making the Modern World: Materials and Dematerialization considers the principal materials used throughout history, from wood and stone, through to metals, alloys, plastics and silicon, describing their extraction and production as well as their dominant applications. The evolving productivities of material extraction, processing, synthesis, finishing and distribution, and the energy costs and environmental impact of rising material consumption are examined in detail. The book concludes with an outlook for the future, discussing the prospects for dematerialization and potential constrains on materials. This interdisciplinary text provides useful perspectives for readers with backgrounds including resource economics, environmental studies, energy analysis, mineral geology, industrial organization, manufacturing and material science.

The companion volume to Making Concrete Countertops with Buddy Rhodes, this book details the art and craft of creating vertical concrete applications as well as integral sink and drainboard elements and curved-edge counters, for advanced users of the medium. An invaluable manual for contractors, architects, and expert handypersons alike, the project photography within will guide you step-by-step in the creation of an outdoor kitchen project, from the careful process of measuring a template, to building a mold, to casting, curing, and installation. With more than 30 years of experience in concrete art and fabrication, artist Buddy Rhodes shares his skills and experience in this useful, practical book. Most importantly, he shares the process he pioneered for creating the natural, stone-like pressed surfaces that have become his hallmark. As the popularity of concrete in home decor soars, this book will be an indispensable guide for any craftsman who hopes to make his mark on this incredible, expanding market.

Sustainable building from the ground up - the pros and cons of the latest green and natural materials and technologies From foundation to finish, a wealth of information is available on sustainable construction methods-entire volumes have been published on individual green and natural building techniques. But with so many different ideas to choose from, there is no single resource that allows an owner or builder to quickly and objectively compare the merits of each system for their particular project. Making Better Buildings cuts through the hype and provides the unvarnished facts about the upsides and downsides of the most widely discussed materials and technologies. Drawing on the real-world experiences of designer/builders, this comparative guide systematically and comprehensively examines each approach in terms of: Cost, sourcing, labor intensity, and ease of construction Energy efficiency, embodied energy, and environmental impacts Availability/accessibility Viable applications and future potential. Each chapter is rounded out by a chart which summarizes the material in a quick and accessible manner. Whether you are an owner preparing to build a green or natural home, or a conventional contractor determined to integrate sustainable alternatives into your existing construction practices, this up-to-the minute resource will help you make the best decisions for your project, while meeting your energy, efficiency, budgetary, and site-specific needs.

For gardeners and backyard do-it-yourselfers, concrete is a revelation. It's durable, weatherproof, impossible to steal, and it provides much-needed insulation for outdoor plants. Concrete weathers beautifully, softening around the edges, developing moss, and becoming more picturesque with age. Concrete Garden Projects takes advantage of concrete's numerous assets, showcasing an inspiring array of creative options. The step-by-step instructions for dozens of easy, do-it-yourself décor ideas include containers of all shapes and sizes, elegant benches and stools, miniature ponds and birdbaths, stepping stones, a barbecue, and a fire pit. The authors use a variety of molds easily found or made, household items like bowls and baking pans, and simple wooden frames and boxes. At pennies per pound, and so simple to use—just mix with water and pour—concrete is the key to hand-crafted backyard décor.

Sherri Hunter, author of the best-selling Creating with Concrete, proves once again that concrete isn't just for sidewalks anymore; it's perfect for the garden too. A selection of 30 beautiful designs suggests the range of this increasingly popular material, and the illustrated instructions make the craft's fundamentals easy to learn. Because the simplest projects come first, beginners can work their way through the book progressively, building on their skills. Novices will have fun making the carved trough, sandcast bowl, and elegant relief panel. More sophisticated projects, including a decorative walkway and polished table, come next, and they'll bring charm to any outdoor space. More adventurous artists can unleash their creativity on a "Garden Guardian" sculpture or water feature. A Selection of the Crafters Choice and Homestyle Book Clubs.

From designing and forming to coloring, troweling, and curing, this comprehensive guide explores one of the newest trends in home design--concrete countertops. 350 color photos. Illustrations.

Linking theory to practice, this book provides a better fundamental understanding of Portland cement and hydraulic binders which is necessary to make better concrete. It has been clearly demonstrated that concrete durability is closely linked to its water/binder ratio and proper curing during the first week after casting. In this rigorously presented work, Pierre-Claude Aïtcin explains the complexity of the hydration reaction and how to make, use and cure durable and sustainable concrete. This book also details the problems with Portland cement composition at present and outlines the concept of an ideal hydraulic binder which is technically and ecologically efficient, as well as being long-lasting and robust. Binders for Durable and Sustainable Concrete is a practical and innovative reference text which will be particularly relevant to engineers and chemists working in the Portland cement, concrete and admixture industries. This book will also be of interest to academics and graduate-level students in Civil Engineering departments who specialize in Portland cement and concrete technology.

This book introduces the mathematics that supports advanced computer programming and the analysis of algorithms. The primary aim of its well-known authors is to provide a solid and relevant base of mathematical skills - the skills needed to solve complex problems, to evaluate horrendous sums, and to discover subtle patterns in data. It is an indispensable text and reference not only for computer scientists - the authors themselves rely heavily on it! - but for serious users of mathematics in virtually every discipline. Concrete Mathematics is a blending of CONtinuous and disCRETE mathematics. "More concretely," the authors explain, "it is the controlled manipulation of mathematical formulas, using a collection of techniques for solving problems." The subject matter is primarily an expansion of the Mathematical Preliminaries section in Knuth's classic Art of Computer Programming, but the style of presentation is more leisurely, and individual topics are covered more deeply. Several new topics have been added, and the most significant ideas have been traced to their historical roots. The book includes more than 500 exercises, divided into six categories. Complete answers are provided for all exercises, except research problems, making the book particularly valuable for self-study. Major topics include: Sums Recurrences Integer functions Elementary number theory Binomial coefficients Generating functions Discrete probability Asymptotic methods This second edition includes important new material about mechanical summation. In response to the widespread use of the first edition as a reference book, the bibliography and index have also been expanded, and additional nontrivial improvements can be found on almost every page. Readers will appreciate the informal style of Concrete Mathematics. Particularly enjoyable are the marginal graffiti contributed by students who have taken courses based on this material. The authors want to convey not only the importance of the techniques presented, but some of the fun in learning and using them.

This New York Times bestselling book is filled with hundreds of fun, deceptively simple, budget-friendly ideas for sprucing up your home. With two home renovations under their (tool) belts and millions of hits per month on their blog YoungHouseLove.com, Sherry and John Petersik are home-improvement enthusiasts primed to pass on a slew of projects, tricks, and techniques to do-it-yourselfers of all levels. Packed with 243 tips and ideas—both classic and unexpected—and more than 400 photographs and illustrations, this is a book that readers will return to again and again for the creative projects and easy-to-follow instructions in the relatable voice the Petersiks are known for. Learn to trick out a thrift-store mirror, spice up plain old roller shades, "hack" your Ikea table to create three distinct looks, and so much more.