The making of concrete is very technical, scientific, variable, and complicated, and I have no understanding of it. I came across this information sometime yesterday from a single #CEMEX twitter entry that I failed to save. The entry was one sentence and stated that blood is used to make concrete. I debated for hours whether to research, decided to do so, and haven't been right since. After researching, due to the complexity of making concrete, I am unable to determine with any degree of certainty if this once-patented method is utilized. Additionally, I included a few random links that I thought could be related and also had to separate links because, lately, everytime I try to submit something on pizzagate I get the message, "Submission contains banned domains," and I am becoming a little tired of this.

The first patent (and the only one I will discuss in this post) inventor's name is Charles Laleman, from Poissy, France. Filing date for the patent was 12/05/1977 and publication date was 05/20/1980. Abstract is as follows:

"The present invention relates to the use of blood in construction and building industry, whereby blood and extracts of blood containing hemoglobin are used as air entraining colloids. The recommended process for preparing a lightened material consists in associating a construction element chosen from the cements, mortars, and concretes, with at least one air entraining colloid chosen from whole blood, globules, red blood corpuscles, and hemoglobin. The invention also relates to the lightened material obtained according to this process...

The term 'blood' is here understood to mean whole animal blood or an extract of animal blood containing hemoglobin. The following may be mentioned in particular among the extracts of animal blood which are suitable...

It has been ascertained that in the blood, it is mainly the red corpuscles and the hemoglobin which have the sought after air entraining properties. Therefore, for economical reasons, whole blood is an extract of blood which is more or less rich in red blood corpuscles or hemoglobin may preferable be used, depending on the costs of treating blood...

To facilitate the conservation and storage, the animal blood or extract of animal blood are advantageously brought into powder form either by drying, freeze drying, or by applying any other method known per se..." https:// patents.google.com/patent/US4203674A/en

A book called "The Kingdom of This World," was written by a Cuban novelist Alejo Carpenter (1904-1980), published in 1949. It is historical fiction and tells the story of Haiti before, during, and after the Haitian Revolution led by Toussaint Louverture, as seen by central characters.

Michigan State University has a website about this novel to help students understand the themes and concepts discussed in the novel. On page 114 there is discussion and history about mortar as follows: "The early precursor to actual concrete was a simpler mortar...A simple lime-based mortar has been recorded to have been used as early as 2,500 B.C. in India, though the Greeks are credited with using the first highly durable concrete mix around 1,700 B.C.

It is noted in the novel that blood was added to the mortar of Citadel La Ferriere to strengthen the walls: 'Every day in the middle of the parade square, several bulls had their throats cut so that their blood could be added to the mortar to make the fortress impregnable.'

The process of adding blood to concrete or mortar mix has been in use almost as long as the use of concrete itself, though at the time, it is unlikely the scientific reason for the added strength was known. Now, we are aware that the reason for the added strength is that over time, blood that is mixed with the concrete or mortar, decomposes, leaving behind small bubbles and air pockets which have the effect of making the mix more durable. There is even a U.S. patent filed for the use of blood, or 'air entraining colloids' in mortar mixtures." https:// msu.edu/~williss2/carpentier/part3/mortar.html

Here is a link to additional patents: https:// patents.google.com/patent/WO1989012034A1/en

Here is an article from 2014 from the NPCA (National Precast Concrete Association): "Chemical Admixtures for Concrete: What's Next?" The article mentions that admixtures have been used in concrete and mortar since the Roman Empire and that the Romans found that certain materials such as milk, blood, lard, molasses, eggs, and rice paste allow greater workability in cementitious mixtures.

It wasn't until the 1962 the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) set standard specifications for chemical admixtures for concrete for only 5 types of admixtures. In 1962, only 36 states required or allowed the use of admixtures in concrete. High-range water-reducing (HRWR) admixtures were not added until 1980.

The 1970's saw a sharp increase in the use of admixtures. A 1982 survey found that only 71% of the concrete produced in the US contained water-reducing admixtures. The 1980's and 1990's continued to see increased use of admixtures.

This is where it gets very technical - The biggest change in North America occurred in the 1990's with the introduction of a new HRWR technology that greatle expaned the plastic and hardened properties of concrete and created a new concrete technology. Polycarboxylates in HRWR admixtures were introduced, "thus initiating a dramatic paradigm change in our understanding of how to design ad use highly workable concrete mixtures." Shortly after this, concrete producers began experimenting with SCC (self-consolidating or self-compacting concrete) in all segments of concrete production. A more "flowable" concrete resulted.

With the emergence of SCC, another class of chemical admixtures - viscosity-modifying admixtures (VMA's) were commercialized to improve the water tolerance and segregation and resistance of this highly "flowable" concrete.

Where to go from here? The author states that polycarboxylate HRWR's will continue yo be the dominat admixture technology, especially in precast concrete. Other products may enclude Universal Air-Entraining Admixtures for the "set it and forget it." The author adds that the technology will "continue to be exploited to push the concrete performance envelope." https: //precast.org/2014/01/chemical-admixtures-concrete-whats-next/

If you want the most detailed history ever on concrete, here it is from Portland (CEMEX) Concrete. https:// riversonghousewright.wordpress.com/about/19-from-rome-to-portland-the-story-of-concrete/

Here is condensed history from CEMEX. https:// www.cemexusa.com/products-and-services/concrete/history-of-concrete-cement

I found this article to be interesting with the "play on words" regarding CEMEX: Why Cemex, the Saudi Arabia of Concrete, Should Be In Your Mix "Yes, Cemex does business all through the smoking hot economies of Latin America. Yes, they just bought Rinker and are positioning themselves for the next housing boom...Concrete is fluid. It can build houses. It can build roads and bridges. Natural disasters cause damage. More concrete...Oil, wood, and concrete are life blood products to a wide variety of businesses and public projects..." http:// discuss.morningstar.com/NewSocialize/blogs/applejedi1/archive/2008/08/08/Why-Cemex_2C00_-the-Saudi-Arabia-of-Concrete-Should-Be-In-Your-Mix.aspx

I also found this article interesting as it discusses Cemex being fined in 2009 in the UK after filling one of its "coal storage units and causing a dust shower which affected dozens of homes in the Rugby area. In this same article, at the very end, it reads, "In related news, an abattoir in Wigton was ordered to pay costs of over 3,000 pounds last week after polluting a beck with effluent containing blood." I do not see the relation, and it may be worthwhile to look into abattoirs because CEMEX appears to be involved in just about every plaace on earth. https:// www.envirotech-online.com/news/air-monitoring/6/breaking-news/cemex-fined-over-coal-dust-shower/5406

Pushing a possible abattoir connection a little further, a Michael J. Pun is currently a Construction Superintendent for Royal Caribbean International - August 2017 to preseent. He previously worked for CEMEX as a Project Manager from April 2012-June 2013. Pun is also General Manager of Sepun Abattoir in Haiti - July 2006 to present. https:// www.linkedin.com/in/michel-j-pun-862ba589