Concrete paving slabs are one of the most popular coatings today. They are used for arranging courtyards, landscaping areas, transition paths, combining functionality and aesthetics.
Benefits
- Wide color gamut provides a beautiful appearance of the coating.
- The material is highly resistant to wear, which significantly increases its life.
- Consumers are attracted by the ease of installation and the speed of its implementation.
- Prefabricated coating elements make it easy to disassemble and restore the structure. This happens when you need to carry out any work related to underground utilities.
- Concrete paving slabs are able to withstand severe loads.
- An important advantage is the fact that during rain, puddles do not form on the surface of the plates, since all water freely passes through the gaps into the ground.
- In the hot season, the slab does not emit harmful substances into the surrounding space, unlike, for example, asphalt.
Composition
A concrete slab should have certain qualities, which depend mainly on the components used in the composition during manufacture. The aggregate is construction sand with a fineness modulus of at least two units and granite crushed stone of a fraction of 5 to 10 mm. In addition, additional additives with plasticizing and hydrophobizing components are introduced into the mixture. They improve the technological properties of concrete, making it more durable and frost-resistant.
Main characteristics
They must meet all the requirements of GOST. Concrete paving slabs are produced according to certain standards, and their quality is determined by technical characteristics, which depend on the method the slab is made of - by vibrocasting or vibropressing. In the second version, the products are obtained with higher strength - up to 400 kg / cm², which can withstand loads up to 30 tons. The level of frost resistance is also quite high (F200-300), the plates do not lose their operational properties even at a temperature of -55 ° C. Moreover, they are able to tolerate at least 200 cycles of freezing and thawing. Water absorption does not exceed 5%, and the rate of abrasion is not more than 0.7 g / cm².
Varieties and Labeling
Sidewalk concrete slabs have different classifications depending on the shapes and sizes. According to the requirements of GOST 17608-91, the type of plate is indicated in the marking: K (square), P (rectangular), W (hexagonal), etc. In designation 6.K.7, the first digit indicates the number of the size, and the last - the thickness square shaped products.
Today, specially designed pavement slabs are very popular in the construction of walkways for people with disabilities . Their surface is slightly convex, rough and has anti-slip properties. On top of the plate are guiding ground indicators.
Production technology
Concrete paving slabs are made using various methods: vibro-rolling, vibro-stamping, pressing, vibrating with a load, vibro-pressing. The last one is the most common. A small amount of water is added to the cement-sand mass placed in the concrete mixer and mixed thoroughly. Then the mixture is fed into the hopper of the vibrating press and placed in a special form, where, under the action of pressing with simultaneous vibration, its compaction occurs. The formed products are moved to pallets and transported to the holding zone, where they harden. After that, the finished plates are sent for shipment.
The use of small-sized equipment in production allows the manufacturer to quickly recoup costs by producing high-quality concrete paving slabs, the price of which is quite affordable for the consumer. Among a wide range of factory-made products, you can pick up products costing from 150 rubles apiece.