Just found a stat about Roman concrete that blew my mind

I was reading this article from the Journal of Archaeological Science last night and came across a fact that really surprised me. They found that Roman concrete actually gets stronger over time, not weaker like modern Portland cement. Apparently the lime clasts in their mix dissolve and recrystallize when seawater hits them, which seals microcracks. I double checked it with a professor I know at UT Austin and she confirmed it's true. Has anyone else run into other construction methods from ancient sites that outperform modern stuff?

2 comments

2 Comments

dylan_stone338d ago

That lime clast thing is wild, but doesn't it only work with seawater exposure? Weren't most Roman buildings land-based, so that self-healing trick would be useless for aqueducts and walls?

thea_carter8d ago

Tried mixing in volcanic ash instead, worked way better for land stuff.