Structures USA founder Andrew Dennis has invented a new form of lightweight concrete utilizing a synthetic cement as the binder. This new concrete matrix does not use Portland cement, sand, or gravel. It is mixed like concrete with dry ingredients, but with very little water.

Structures USA | Repurposed [03] | Steve Rice, Columbus

Giga-crete has a tensile capacity which far exceeds that of conventional concrete, and it does not shrink or crack like concrete. Giga-crete can also be made up to three times stronger than conventional concrete (12,000 psi vs. 4,000 psi).

Giga-crete is totally non-combustible. It does not shatter under extreme heat (5,000 degrees F) like conventional concrete. Giga-crete is less brittle than conventional concrete, and is also more durable under freeze & thaw conditions. Giga-crete is up to one-fifth the weight of standard concrete, making batching and construction easier. Large pieces can be lifted by hand.

Normal concrete requires up to 28 days for adequate curing, but Giga-crete sets solid in four hours and is usable in eight hours. Giga-crete is a less expensive building solution due to the speed of construction and therefore labor cost savings. Panelized structures using Giga-crete can be erected in hours by hand, but conventional wood frame construction or masonry takes days and weeks.

Giga-crete technology is environmentally friendly, and it does not use wood or other sensitive resources; instead, it uses waste fly-ash or recycled materials destined for the landfill.
[Excerpted from the Structures USA website.]

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