ABSTRACT
During the twentieth century, concrete became the most widely used material because it allows human beings to satisfy some of their fundamental needs (Aïtcin 1995). Concrete is a material that can be used to build houses, office buildings and urban infrastructures required by the development of modern societies as well as the transportation infrastructures necessary for the development of exchanges. This quasi-universal use of concrete is due to the intrinsic qualities of concrete: it is an inexpensive material; it resists water well; it does not rot; it does not rust; it does not burn; and it resists insect attacks. It is a material essentially made of local constituents; 80 per cent of it is water and aggregates. Moreover, at about $50 or per tonne in 2000, cement is one of the least expensive industrial materials. Finally, the technology involved in making concrete is very simple and the initial investment is not very high.
