Use of oriented tabular aggregate in manufacture of high-flexural-strength concrete

A method of producing high-flexural-strength concrete comprising the steps of

• (a) mixing coarse aggregate particles consisting of flat, tabular particles in a mixer with a wet hydraulic cement-sand mixture so as to coat the coarse aggregate particles with the cement-sand mixture and thus form a mixture of the coarse aggregate particles and the cement-sand mixture comprising from about 18% to about 48% by weight of the coarse aggregate particles;
• (b) pouring the mixture of the coarse aggregate particles and the cement-sand mixture into a form, producing a first shallow layer;
• (c) vibrating the form containing the mixture poured in step (b), thereby releasing air bubbles and orienting the coarse aggregate particles in the first shallow layer;
• (d) pouring a second shallow layer of the mixture of the coarse aggregate particles and the cement-sand mixture into the form;
• (e) again vibrating the form as in step (c);
• (f) repeating the pouring and vibrating processes until the form is filled with the mixture of the coarse aggregate particles and the cement-sand mixture;
• and
• (g) allowing the mixture of the coarse aggregate particles and the cement-sand mixture to cure into the high-flexural-strength concrete.