Trade Journals for the Concrete Industry

Innovative cast stones, terrazzo floors and ground monolithic floors are again experiencing a renaissance seldom met with before. The marketing steps of the associations and info-b in Germany, in particular, have been chiefly responsible for kindling the demand. However, the quality requirements on these kinds of materials have become greater over the past few years. New techniques are contributing to meeting this raised quality need. Unfortunately owners and planners alike often forget that the cast stone is just that – namely a building block made of concrete. Terrazzo and monolithic floors are also subject to the physical laws of cement-bonded building materials. Hence the typical concrete characteristics are not to be ignored when producing and assessing these kinds of building materials. Without any claim to completeness, this essay provides an insight into possible causes of cracks in cast stones and how to avoid them.