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re: What Roman builders added to their concrete to make it last centuries has been identified
Posted on 12/26/25 at 12:10 pm to Kcrad
Posted on 12/26/25 at 12:10 pm to Kcrad
quote:
they added volcanic ash as their "secret" ingredient.
The article is not saying that volcanic ash is their secret ingredient or method. It was introducing the quicklime into the process first, then mixing it with the ash.
0
Posted on 12/26/25 at 12:15 pm to Horsemeat
quote:
Modern standard is for things to be made cheaper and break easier, not to be more efficient for durability.
That's called "job security".
If something is made to last, how are you going to get repeat business?
It's bullshite, but it's also celebrated in a capitalist system.
That's just one of the tradeoffs we have to accept.
Posted on 12/26/25 at 12:16 pm to jizzle6609
quote:
In no way am I kidding, I was thinking about and actually having a conversation about Roman roads this past week.
I was talking about how the Romans built their ports last Sunday
Posted on 12/26/25 at 12:23 pm to hawgfaninc
Wow, we still add ash to concrete mixes today.
In fact I did it last week.
Posted on 12/26/25 at 12:27 pm to hawgfaninc
Isn't another piece of the puzzle that we use rebar in our concrete? Rebar rusts on water exposure, expands, and cracks the concrete. Romans didn't use rebar.
Like all engineering, it's a trade-off. Rebar means less concrete used, smaller, lighter construction overall, so less material to hold it all up, adding to the savings, and more usable space in a building.
I understand there are some non-rust rebar being used today. Still a cost issue I think, so limited to things that make sense to keep for > 75 years or so.
Like all engineering, it's a trade-off. Rebar means less concrete used, smaller, lighter construction overall, so less material to hold it all up, adding to the savings, and more usable space in a building.
I understand there are some non-rust rebar being used today. Still a cost issue I think, so limited to things that make sense to keep for > 75 years or so.
Posted on 12/26/25 at 12:31 pm to hawgfaninc
quote:
but this is the first concrete evidence.
Hey o
Posted on 12/26/25 at 12:41 pm to soccerfüt
quote:
What did the Romans ever do for us?
The aqueduct.
Posted on 12/26/25 at 12:54 pm to real turf fan
The modern application is crystalline liquid admixtures.
Added at the plant during the mixing process. Adds about $50-$100 to the cost of one cubic yard of concrete. Self-healing for plastic shrinkage cracks and small to medium (1/2” or less) cracks caused by settling, etc.
Often specified in sewage plants, dams, aquariums, etc..
Added at the plant during the mixing process. Adds about $50-$100 to the cost of one cubic yard of concrete. Self-healing for plastic shrinkage cracks and small to medium (1/2” or less) cracks caused by settling, etc.
Often specified in sewage plants, dams, aquariums, etc..
Posted on 12/26/25 at 12:56 pm to hawgfaninc
What’s amazing is
1. Romans figured this out
2. Nobody else figured it out for 2,000 years. You’d think there would have been records or word of mouth passed on
1. Romans figured this out
2. Nobody else figured it out for 2,000 years. You’d think there would have been records or word of mouth passed on
Posted on 12/26/25 at 12:59 pm to AllDayEveryDay
quote:
The idea that ancient civilizations were "dumber" has always fascinated me.
Yet with modern technology we still cannot figure out how some ancient buildings and structures were built
When Notre Dame cathedral burned they said they had no idea how to rebuild it exactly like the original
Posted on 12/26/25 at 1:01 pm to deltaland
quote:
Nobody else figured it out for 2,000 years. You’d think there would have been records or word of mouth passed on
You can blame the Church for the loss.
Posted on 12/26/25 at 1:05 pm to hawgfaninc
they also used animal blood and hair in their concrete.
might be a good way to keep the idiot PETA and vegan crowds off the roads and out of buildings that normal people use!
might be a good way to keep the idiot PETA and vegan crowds off the roads and out of buildings that normal people use!
Posted on 12/26/25 at 1:19 pm to TygerLyfe
quote:
So funny how life is better when people build things to last. Maybe we'll figure it out sometime
As soon as I read this I thought, is anything crested now going to be around in 2000 years that we havent made better or improved?
I know one thing that will from the article lol.
Are we morons?
This post was edited on 12/26/25 at 1:21 pm
Posted on 12/26/25 at 1:22 pm to magildachunks
quote:
You can blame satan corrupting the Church for the loss.
Posted on 12/26/25 at 2:08 pm to deeprig9
quote:
What did the Romans ever do for us?
quote:
The aqueduct.
Okay, aside from the aqueduct?
Posted on 12/26/25 at 2:24 pm to SantaFe
quote:
Wow, we still add ash to concrete mixes today.
In fact I did it last week.
Yes. But did you mix the ash with quicklime first?
An was it volcanic ash?
Posted on 12/26/25 at 2:27 pm to fr33manator
Carthage.
Posted on 12/26/25 at 2:38 pm to Horsemeat
It's my theory that the ease and quickness in which buildings can be thrown up in modern times is what's actually led to the decrease in quality. In ancient times especially, if something wasn't built to be durable it would be a gigantic pain in the arse to replace. Building times in those days often was measured in decades and not months/years. Now, there's no incentive to build to last because of how simple things are to replace quickly.
Posted on 12/26/25 at 2:40 pm to magildachunks
quote:
It's bullshite, but it's also celebrated in a capitalist system.
Meanwhile in socialist and communists systems, the infrastructure just collapses due to simply not giving a frick by the workers. Or even active sabotage.
Posted on 12/26/25 at 2:45 pm to hawgfaninc
A friend of mine (West Point grad) told me a story about being in command of a column of tanks playing war games in West Germany. They found a road that was not on any map, took it, flanked their adversaries, and won the games. It turns out that the road had been built by the Romans and even after thousands of years was still capable of supporting a column of U.S. Army tanks.
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