Why is concrete on its own not a good material to use

It has poor tensile strength despite having high compressive strength

Explanation:

Concrete exhibits high compressive strength when used. However, it has very low compressive strength. This is the reason why concrete is normally combined with steel to make a composite building material called reinforced concrete. The steel reinforces concrete hence increasing the tensile strength in RC buildings. The end composite is durable and fireproof. Generally, the main reason why concrete is not use on its own is due to its poor tensile strength.