The history of Concrete 1

[Roadbridge]

I know this is a simple question, but who invented conrete?

Over the passed several weeks I've been reviewing old notes and publised works on testing cracking, expansion etc.. but no where those it say who invented it.

I read once as a child that the Romans had, but when the empire fell and Europe went into the dark ages the knowledge was lost.Is this true?

Those any one know?

 

[Heckler]

I watched an interesting program on a cable channel last night on Basements, bunkers, and bunker busters.

http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blconcrete.htm

 

[dpc]

http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blconcrete.htm

 

[jmw]

Yes, you need to follow the links (related articles)to discover more about the Roman use of concrete.

Some recent TV programs about the colluseum have been very interesting and showed the different types of concrete used including a waterproof version to enable the arena to be flooded and which was also used for lining tunnels and aqueducts.

In the construction of the Parthenon dome they used pumice as an agreagate because of its lightness.

Interesting to see the remains of Roman construction wherever found and to note the survival of this material 1000years later. Roman engineers were much to be admired and one wonders how far they would have progressed with concrete construction had their empire not collapsed, which i something one might wonder about almost any development that is either lost or surplanted. Where would steam engines be today if the IC engine didn't come along? (but we have debated that elsewhere in another thread)

Without a "hard" cement we didn't lose entirely the ability to construct building and even castles. Lime mortar had some valuable properties of its own including its ability to "flow". In Cambridge, UK, is a row of houses where the foundations shifted and the buildings settled unevenly. Instead of dangerous cracks forming or the structures collapsing, the buildings have stabilised without major repairs due to the ability of the lime mortar to flow.

Like the Roman buildings, many major buildings were constructed of a dressed stone faced wall with an internal constrion of rubble and lime mortar. It is said that this was particulalry beneficial in castle construction the "plastic" properties of the lime mortar core were beneficial when struck by rocks hurled by siege engines.

The link referred to suggests that the Romans never exploited concrete

but not in the sense it has in modern times, when architects have taken advantage of the characteristics of the material to create soaring skyscrapers, fantastic shapes and homes cantilevered out over waterfalls.

which is a curious comment since there is also much to be deplored about the use of concrete in modern times while the Roman ability to use concrete was far very liberating when compared to the construction methods that preceded it.

JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[GregLocock]

Perhaps it would be more accurate to say they did not use steel reinforced concrete, much, if at all. Scarcely surprising really!




Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[whyun]

I was involved with a project about 10 years ago on a reinforced concrete building built around 1910 or so. In lieu of deformed bars, they used square bars. Some placed diagonally to act as shear reinforcement. This must mean reinforced concrete was "invented" before that.

It would be interesting to find out if there was one inventor...

 

[DrillerNic]

Hate to nitpick jmw, but the Parthenon is in Athens and isn't made of concrete.....the Pantheon is in Rome and is made of concrete-

The Pantheon is really worth a visit if you get the chance!

 

[friartuck]

I once did a survey for a new heating system at Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire (England). This place was built in 1591 and we had to look at drilling holes etc.

I remarked on the concrete floor and asked if we could drill through it. The client informed us that the floor was 400 years old and not concrete but lime and straw (or some other material)--needless to say, we had to get special permission since the building was grade 1 listed.

Incidentally our offices also have lime and straw construction (Our offices are about 200 years old)--We have just had them repaired due to cracking...but we haven't fell through the floor yet.

Concrete on the other hand is a different material and so I guess was made much later.



Friar Tuck of Sherwood

 

[whyun]

Got curious and did a google. This is the link:

http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blconcrete.htm

 

[Heckler]

Hmmmm where have I seen that link before.....could it be in my post? give me a star

 

[IRstuff]

Parthenon is now in Greece:

http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/The_Parthenon.html

TTFN

 

[whyun]

Heckler... You got me... I scolled up and I see one from you, then from dpc...

Here's your star

 

[jmw]

Drllernic and Irstuff, you got me, all I can say is "it's all Greek to me., sorry, bad coffee day.

JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[BJC]

The dome in Florence was the subject of a recent TV show ( Nova or something) It was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. It was made of bricks. He has been called the first modern engineer. =-

 

[IRstuff]

Being the Renaissance man that he was, Brunelleschi, is prominently featured in Janson's "History of Art," in the architectural section.

Brunelleschi's work on the Florence Cathedral dome was to finish a building that was started by Cambio in 1296, nearly 120 yrs earlier.

Brunelleschi is perhaps more famous for his own design of San Lorenzo, also in Florence. The design is exemplified by its symmetry and regularity, using a sequence of squares with related proportions, supposedly based on some sort of musical harmony.

TTFN