Test Your Knowledge of Concrete Facts
Written by Jennifer Sinclair
Last updated · 11 min play time
Test your DIY knowledge, and see if you can come up with the right answers to these concrete questions.
If you have an interest in construction history, then you no doubt have a pretty good working knowledge about concrete. As one of the oldest and most fundamental literal building blocks in the world, concrete has been around for thousands of years in one way, shape or form.
Quiz written by
Jennifer SinclairConcrete Quiz Questions
30 Questions · 3.2K Plays · 1 Comment
Question 1
What portion of a typical single-family home is made using concrete?
-
ARoof
-
BFireplace
-
CFoundation
-
DLaminate Floor
Foundation
Concrete foundations are the literal building blocks of almost any building in the world. The type of foundation you have determines the type of structure you have on top as the foundation needs to be able to support it.
Question 2
Concrete, not asphalt, is the best material for building what?
-
ARoof
-
BPlaygrounds
-
CRoads
-
DSwing sets
Roads
Concrete is the best material to use in building roadways. It can withstand the pressure, weight and elements far longer than traditional asphalt. It needs far less maintenance and repair. The reason it isn't used in every roadway is because the initial cost of construction is higher.
Question 3
This structure found along beaches is built out of concrete to protect a town from rising water.
-
AA sea wall
-
BA fort
-
CA ditch
-
DA pool
A sea wall
The first sea wall was first constructed by the Romans in the 1st century B.C.E. The structure used, volcanic sand which hardened and stayed hard even when exposed to water. Sea walls are still in use today around the world and are built from reinforced concrete.
Question 4
What do builders put in concrete to make sure it is strong enough?
-
APlastic
-
BWood
-
CShells
-
DMetal reinforcement
Metal reinforcement
Reinforced concrete is the strongest building material that can withstand the elements and the passage of time. It is made when concrete is poured into a mold containing steel pieces laid out in a pattern engineers determine provides the best reinforcement for the structure being built.
Question 5
What naturally occurring stone is the bedrock for all concrete products?
-
ADiamonds
-
BEmeralds
-
CLimestone
-
DBedrock
Limestone
Going all the way back to 1300 B.C.E., limestone has been the fundamental ingredient in concrete. It was then that people discovered the strength of limestone, especially when ground down and mixed with sand and water. This mixture is cement, and cement is the foundation of concrete.
Question 6
What is modern-day concrete typically made from?
-
AOregon cement, stone, sand and water
-
BSeattle cement, stone, sand and water
-
CPortland cement, stone, sand and water
-
DWashington cement, stone, sand and water
Portland cement, stone, sand and water
Portland cement is the most common cement used in the world, and is the most common ingredient in stucco, mortar and concrete. It was first developed in the 1800s in England from different types of hydraulic lime.
Question 7
In which city is the world's tallest concrete skyscraper located?
-
ANew York City
-
BPhiladelphia
-
CDubai
-
DParis
Dubai
The winner of tallest concrete building goes to the Burj Khalifia in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The building is currently the tallest in the world, and contains a whopping 238,747,095.768 pounds of concrete.
Question 8
What did the first civilizations use for concrete?
-
AWater and sand
-
BRocks and mud
-
CMud and straw
-
DWood and water
Mud and straw
As early as 3,000 B.C.E., tribes used mud and straw to reinforce shelters and make them less permeable to the elements, predators and other humans. This kind of style is considered "adobe" by today's definition and is the first concrete-like material used by early man.
Question 9
What type of house is made primarily using concrete?
-
AWood
-
BConcrete block
-
CAdobe
-
DTile
Concrete block
Concrete block homes are especially popular in warm-weather climates such as Florida and Arizona. The concrete is more resistant to the humid and wet conditions in Florida. Likewise, in Arizona, concrete is very heat tolerant.
Question 10
What unusual objects are found with coquina?
-
ACarbs
-
BCrabs
-
CStickers
-
DShells
Shells
Coquina appears to be made out of compressed sea shells. The Spanish word for shells is "coquina." Over time, the mixing of salt water with a rare type of limestone and the exposure to ocean creatures all joined together to become one of the most interesting and oldest concrete products used in the United States.
Question 11
Concrete is the world's most popular __________ building material.
-
AWhite
-
BNatural
-
CMan-made
-
DLimestone
Man-made
Concrete is used throughout the world every day in commercial, residential and industrial projects, but it doesn't occur without a little help from people. Besides being used for things like construction and roadways, it is also being used for high-end residential finishes such as countertops and fireplaces.
Question 12
In World War II, the British built massive concrete disc-like structures along the coast to serve what purpose?
-
ASo they could hear enemy planes approaching
-
BSo they could block bombs
-
CSo they could put up monuments
-
DSo they could scare invading armies
So they could hear enemy planes approaching
Before radar was invented, the British developed a system of placing large concrete parabolic acoustic mirrors along the coast. These sound reflectors would alert them of any invading aircraft in advance because the sound would be caught by one and bounced off of them all.
Question 13
What ancient civilization discovered concrete was waterproof?
-
ACave men
-
BGypsies
-
CWookies
-
DBedouins
Bedouins
The Bedouins, who occupied southern Syria and northern Jordan, were the first to discover that concrete (or a concrete-like substance) would harden under water. They started using it in the construction of underground water cisterns, which are credited with keeping the desert nomadic empire thriving for so long.
Question 14
What is the largest concrete bridge in the United States?
-
AGolden Gate Bridge
-
BTunkhannock Creek Viaduct
-
CSan Francisco Bay Bridge
-
DBrooklyn Bridge
Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct
Also known as the Nicholson Bridge, the Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct in Nicholson, Pennsylvania, is the United States' largest concrete bridge. It spans 2,375 feet wide and rises 240 feet above the creek level or a full 300 feet from the bedrock at the bottom of the creek. Built in 1915, it contains a total of 167,000 cubic yards of concrete.
Question 15
How much does a cubic foot of concrete typically weigh?
-
A5,000 pounds
-
B50 pounds
-
C15 pounds
-
D150 pounds
150 pounds
The accepted answer to this question is concrete weighs, on average, about 150 pounds per cubic foot. The formula used to calculate the weight of concrete is its length times its width times its thickness.
Question 16
What did the Romans mix to get the cement-like material they used in all underwater projects?
-
AVolcanic sand
-
BShells
-
CSand
-
DWater
Volcanic sand
Considered the first true cement-like material used by any civilization, the volcanic sand would chemically react to lime and water, causing it to harden. It could be used in large-scale underwater projects like the string of aqueducts it constructed all across the empire. These structures are still standing today. Leave it to the Romans.
Question 17
Where is the tallest concrete skyscraper in the United States?
-
AChicago, Illinois
-
BLos Angeles, California
-
CDetroit, Michigan
-
DNew York City, New York
Chicago, Illinois
Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago is the tallest concrete building in the United States as of now. It is actually made of reinforced-concrete to ensure stability over time.
Question 18
Where is the tallest building west of the Mississippi?
-
ASan Francisco
-
BSan Diego
-
CLos Angeles
-
DSan Jose
Los Angeles
Wilshire Grand Center Project in Los Angeles set the record for a continuous concrete pour with 82 millions pounds of concrete poured in one night. They didn't do it for the record; they did it to ensure the foundation was one continuous slab.
Question 19
What was the concrete used by the Spanish to build the first fort in the United States?
-
ACoco
-
BCoquina
-
CQuartz
-
DPortland Cement
Coquina
The Spanish discovered a new type of limestone which they called coquina. Unlike other types of limestone, coquina was lighter and more porous. This did not seem to make it a great choice for a fort; however, the Spanish had no alternative. It turned out the coquina was perfect as the air pockets made it absorb canon and gun fire instead of it shattering. There are still canon balls burrowed in the walls of Castillo de San Marcos.
Question 20
Where was the first concrete highway built?
-
APhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
-
BDetroit, Michigan
-
CNew York City, New York
-
DSeattle, Washington
Detroit, Michigan
In 1909, the first concrete highway was built in what is now Detroit. The road was a mile long and became the first roadway not made of dirt. The total construction cost: $13,492.83. It's no surprise that Henry Ford was on the board of the Wayne County Road Commission who was responsible for approving and building the road.
Question 21
How much concrete is in the Hoover Dam?
-
A1 million cubic yards
-
B3.25 million cubic yards
-
C500,000 cubic yards
-
D2.5 million cubic yards
3.25 million cubic yards
The Hoover Dam was constructed using 3.25 million cubic yards of concrete. During peak construction, the workers who built the dam poured an average 10,462 cubic yards a day.
Question 22
What is the oldest existing fort in the United States?
-
ACastillo de San Marco
-
BFort Benning
-
CFort Sumter
-
DFort Bragg
Castillo de San Marco
The Spanish may have landed in St. Augustine in 1565, but it took them 100 years before they started building a fort that could adequately protect them from invaders. From 1672 to 1756, they constructed the oldest fort in the United States still standing, Castillo de San Marcos.
Question 23
Who invented Portland concrete?
-
AJoseph Aspidin
-
BJoseph Aspirator
-
CJoseph Aspirin
-
DJoseph Ashen
Joseph Aspidin
In 1824, Joseph Aspidin took out a patent for a compound he called Portland concrete. Named after both the Isle of Portland off the British coast and the type of stone typically used to build homes, the cement was a mixture of finely ground limestone and clay calcified through a chemical reaction.
Question 24
Reinforced concrete is the only building material highly resistant to what two destructive forces?
-
AWater and Wind
-
BIce and wind
-
CFire and water
-
DFire and ice
Fire and water
Reinforced concrete stands the test against fire because it has a slow rate of thermal conductivity. It doesn't get hot and stay hot long enough for fire to catch. It therefore acts as an effective shield against it. As for water, concrete is a natural water repellant material. It's perfect for underground structures.
Question 25
What dome, built by the Romans, is the largest unreinforced concrete dome ever built?
-
AColiseum
-
BVatican
-
CPantheon
-
DBaths
Pantheon
The domed church was built in 125 AD and measures 142 feet in diameter. At the center of the dome is a 27-foot hole or oculus. The dome was built in place, and it is believed it was constructed from the outside in.
Question 26
What is the largest concrete structure in the world?
-
AMonticello Dam
-
BContra Dam
-
CHoover Dam
-
DThree Gorges Dam
Three Gorges Dam
The Three Gorges Dam in China is the largest concrete structure in the world. It is 1.4 miles long and 607 feet tall. It has a total of 16 million cubic meters of concrete in it.
Question 27
Concrete has become a popular material for high-end _______ in the home
-
AFloors
-
BCountertops
-
CFireplaces
-
DAll of these
All of these
Interior designers have taken a liking to using concrete in high-end finishes throughout the home. From staining concrete for flooring to kitchen countertops, the uses for concrete are continuing to grow. It is relatively maintenance-free and long-lasting.
Question 28
How much weight does it take to crush a concrete cylinder?
-
A1.6 million pounds of force
-
B10,000 pounds of force
-
C15,000 pounds of force
-
D150,000 pounds of force
1.6 million pounds of force
In 2013, a demonstration was done during Engineering Day at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. During this particular demo, a mechanical press machine applied varying degrees of pressure to a concrete pillar until it broke. At 1.6 million pounds of force, it cracked, but at a whopping 3 million pounds, it exploded.
Question 29
What is the largest concrete dam in the United States?
-
AHoover Dam
-
BMonticello Dam
-
CGrand Coulee Dam
-
DThree Gorges Dam
Grand Coulee Dam
Grand Coulee Dam west of Spokane, Washington, is the largest concrete dam in the United States. Standing 550 feet high and almost a mile long, the dam has enough concrete in it to build a highway from Spokane to Miami. There are 12 million cubic yards of concrete in this one dam alone. It is on the list of the 7 engineering marvels of the United States.
Question 30
What did the Chinese use to build the Great Wall of China?
-
ASticky rice
-
BPortland cement
-
CBricks
-
DMetal
Sticky rice
Tests have revealed that the Chinese used glutenous sticky white rice in building the Great Wall of China. This was one element the Chinese used frequently throughout to help build homes, boats and the Great Wall. The rice acted as a sort of concrete or mortar helping to keep the bricks together. Obviously, rice was a good choice: Look how long it's lasted!
Comments (1)
We want to hear your feedback! Share your scores and discuss the quiz, but keep it civil.
well,they did use bricks AND sticky rice