Ever wondered how come the Roman empire buildings have survived the test of time, whilst modern buildings can crumble within decades? Turns out the ancient Romans made better concrete than we do now by adding volcanic ash to recipe to make it more durable. To investigate the issue, scientists made up a number of batches of concrete, replicating the Roman recipe and allowing it to set for 180 days. After which, they studied its structure using X-Rays. The key to an extremely resistant concrete is combining three parts volcanic ash with one part quicklime (limestone is heated to make quicklime first). The secret is that a reaction occurs between the lime and the volcanic ash: crystals form in spaces around the sand and the volcanic gravel, as the concrete cools making the structure stronger. The crystals are better than modern day alternatives because they are resistant to corrosion and are generally better at reinforcing those spaces. Fancy learning more? egu.eu/5AFL75 #volcanoes #ash #construction #Romans #history #geology #materialscience #concrete #buildings #construction #durability
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 14:49:01 +0000
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