![]() This could then endanger the structural integrity of the wall (Vitruvius, 20 BC). When undried bricks lost their moisture and shrunk, they receded from the cementitious lime stucco holding them together. Early Romans used such bricks in their construction they used sun-dried bricks because undried bricks posed threats. He advises bricks made from red or white clay, as they are lighter, more durable, and easier to lay. In “The Ten Books of Architecture,” Vitruvius details many types of bricks, as well as their uses and differences. Though not as advanced as concrete, clay offered early builders a base from which to build upon.įirst, clay could be used in conjunction with brick, stacked effectively to form walls. The silica and alumina found in concrete were also present in clay, giving the two materials similar properties (Moore, 1995). Clay could be used in a multitude of ways, as it is malleable and adhesive. Most notably, early builders used clay to form walls of structure. Hydraulic mortar (a key part in concrete) in Rome can be traced back as far as the third century B.C., but before concrete came a plethora of other materials (Oleson, 2014). Many of these steps are recorded in the following sections. It involved numerous materials that slowly developed into what we now recognize as concrete. The process to develop concrete, though scientific, was anything but singular. Unique reactions were often observed when pozzolans (in many Roman cases, a loose volcanic ash) from different sites were used in different situations, leaving much up to trial and error. Despite how long concrete has been around, the development of concrete as a building material was a long and drawn out experiment. Though older mixtures with cementitious properties were found in India as early as 2500 B.C., Romans routinely utilized mixtures of lime, water and pozzolan in their everyday lives (Moore, 1995). The Roman Pantheon is one of the oldest churches in Rome, and an important figure in the world of concrete domes. The Roman Colosseum is an iconic sight in Rome today, largely composed of Roman concrete. Figures 1 and 2 show two examples of concrete structures that stand today in the heart of Rome.įigure 1. This paper gives a historical background of the development of concrete and examines Vitruvius’s take on concrete and its compositions compared to today’s concrete. With such texts as a starting point, large quantities of research have since been done concerning concrete, cement, aggregates and all other aspects from the chemical reactions occurring within to strength tests in laboratories. This text has been studied extensively, as it gives great insight as to how architecture was processed in the time of Julius Caesar (Cartwright, 2015). One of the largest remaining texts from the time of development is titled “De Architectura” or “The Ten Books on Architecture.” Written by Roman military engineer and architect Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, this work comprises of personal experiences and general advice on topics ranging from building materials, to water and aqueducts, to miliraty tactics and equipment. It is likely that academics and researchers at the time were documenting their findings about concrete as it developed, but very few of their findings survived. Though numerous studies have been performed on concrete since its rediscovery in the 18th century, there are few sources on Roman concrete that date back to the time of it’s discovery and widespread use. Many of these concrete buildings now act as the foundation for present day Rome the durability of Roman concrete quite literally holds up the city as we know it today. A concrete base combined with other construction components, such as bricks, marble or travertine, formed many buildings in ancient Rome, great number of which still stand today. Such achievements helped to advance Rome as a society for centuries. The unearthed mixture is a testament to the ingenuity of Romans concrete allowed for large scale engineering projects from the Pantheon, to the maritime city of Ostia. As more of ancient Rome is uncovered, scientists have experienced firsthand the durability of Roman concrete. ![]() Due to it’s strength and versatility in composition, concrete became the building block for civilizations dating over two thousand years ago. Through the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, concrete preserved.
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