Disclosed herein is a concrete composition comprising: a) a cement in an amount of about 25 wt % to about 70 wt % based on a total mass of dry material; b) a rubber in an amount of about 15 wt % to about 35 wt % on a total mass of dry material; and c) fine aggregates in an amount of about 10 wt % to about 35 wt % on a total mass of dry material; wherein the concrete composition is substantially free of coarse aggregates. Additionally, articles comprising the disclosed herein composition are also disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of making the compositions and the articles.

The invention relates to a method for binding of carbon dioxide, comprising: providing a starting material which comprises sources for CaO and SiO.sub.2 and optionally also Al, Fe and/or Mg, hydrothermally treating the starting material in an autoclave at 50 to 300 C., tempering at 350 to 600 C., and hardening the resulting material with carbon dioxide. The invention further relates to building elements which are obtained by hardening a material according to the method.

A roofing tile composed of concrete material and a method for producing such a roofing tile. The concrete material contains a binder, a gravel, a light-weight aggregate, and added water. The roofing tile has at least one watercourse and a lateral interlocking joint having a covering fold and a water fold. The ratio of water to binder is less than 0.3, the light-weight aggregate is composed of a material that is hydrophobic and/or not hygroscopic, and the roofing tile has a density in the range of 1.6 g/cm.sup.3 to 1.9 g/cm.sup.3 after the hardening. The roofing tile has a thickness of 5 mm to 9 mm, preferably 7 mm to 8 mm, in the highly loaded regions, preferably in the region of the watercourse.

Various cement-containing compositions are disclosed, including insulating cement, forms, and prefabricated building materials produced from cement-containing compositions with insulating properties. Some of the preferred embodiments include expanded polystyrene and an acrylic component to provide enhanced insulating properties, or have a lower density, lighter weight, and increased insulating R-value in comparison with other cement-containing compositions.

Disclosed is a construction material composition including a matrix predominantly containing an aluminum silicate compound, such as a metakaolin, and an alkaline activation solution. The composition is contains less than 10 wt. % cement or clinker and in that the metakaolin is a metakaolin obtained via flash calcination. The reaction between the components is carried out at a temperature less than 30 C. The method for manufacturing the construction material includes mixing the composition with various elements such as granulates, plant fibers, unfired clay, and expanding agents. It is particularly of use in producing floor, wall, or roof coating elements, prefabricated construction elements, or insulation, adhesive, or inorganic sealant modules.

Colored roofing granules comprising agglomerated inorganic material with embedded pigment, and building materials, such as roofing shingles, that include such colored roofing granules. By fabricating colored roofing granules from agglomerating inorganic material it is possible to tailor the particle size distribution so as to provide optimal shingle surface coverage, thus reducing shingle weight and usage of raw materials. Additionally, agglomeration of inorganic material with embedded pigment, including colored rock fines and/or colored mineral fines, permits the utilization of by-products from conventional granule production processes, including a waste stream of pigment.

A roofing tile composed of concrete material and a method for producing such a roofing tile. The concrete material contains a binder, a gravel, a light-weight aggregate, and added water. The roofing tile has at least one watercourse and a lateral interlocking joint having a covering fold and a water fold. The ratio of water to binder is less than 0.3, the light-weight aggregate is composed of a material that is hydrophobic and/or not hygroscopic, and the roofing tile has a density in the range of 1.6 g/cm.sup.3 to 1.9 g/cm.sup.3 after the hardening. The roofing tile has a thickness of 5 mm to 9 mm, preferably 7 mm to 8 mm, in the highly loaded regions, preferably in the region of the watercourse.

A composition comprising at least one binder coated with at least one metallate additive according to formula 1: (RO).sub.m-M-(O.sub.aX.sub.bR.sub.cY.sub.d).sub.n (formula 1), wherein M is one of titanium and zirconium. The composition is particularly useful in producing treated binders and construction materials, wherein the resulting treated binders and construction materials have advantageous properties, such as increased strength. Also disclosed are methods of preparing the inventive composition, treated binders and construction materials.

The invention relates to a dark, flat element, preferably a plastic, lacquer coating or fiber material, having reduced density, low heat conductivity and low solar absorption. The flat element has a relatively high reflection infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum reduce heating by sunlight in the near infrared dark tinting in the visible range. Low density conductivity are obtained inter alia by inserting in the near in order to area despite and low heat light filling materials into the flat element. Said flat element can be used in places where surfaces are dark tinted for aesthetic or technical reasons but should not heat up in sunlight and should give off little heat when touched by hand or by other parts of the body. Other areas of application include surfaces which should have a heat insulating effect in addition to the above-mentioned characteristics.

A dry papercrete mix is formed by preparing a wet pulp of fiber material such as newsprint and sharp sand by mixing sand, fiber material and water in a batch or continuous mixer, drying the pulp to a moisture content below that which will cause a reaction with Portland cement and adding additional sands and/or pumice and Portland cement. The resulting dry, granular mix can then be handled stored and used in the manner which is conventional for concrete. The dry papercrete mix can also be applied by pouring the dry papercrete mix into a desired volume such as a form in a dry state and injecting water into the dry papercrete mix until the mix is sufficiently wetted without a requirement for mixing in the manner common for concrete. Structural modules and a technique for joining them into a structure are particularly appropriate to the use of dry application papercrete.