Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world. The Ancient Egyptians and Romans are the earliest known users of concrete. The Roman Parthenon was built in 432 BC and was found to contain concrete-like mixtures. The concrete-like mixtures were also found in various mile long aqueducts (Crow, 2008). The basic design of concrete has remained the same since its inception: water, aggregates, and cement. While the basic ingredients remain the same, the materials that have comprised both cement and aggregates have been numerous. Aggregate in particular is an area that is constantly being evaluated for better alternatives. The construction industry is particularly susceptible to economic factors such as inflation and stagnant growth that directly affect gross domestic product, making it vitally important to maintain a robust business model that is able to weather economic downturns (Which Industries are Sensitive to Business Cycles, n.d.).