Masic’s paper is the latest in a series of studies on Roman concrete. Last year, he worked with University of Utah researcher Marie Jackson to investigate the 70-foot-tall tomb of Caecilia Metella, a first-century Roman noblewoman, on the Appian Way, an ancient Roman road that crossed Italy. published a study. Their research revealed that certain formations of the Roman concrete used in the tombs interacted with rainwater and groundwater, making them more resilient over time.
In an earlier study, Jackson and her colleagues created an exact replica of similar concrete used to build Trajan’s marketplace in Rome 1,900 years ago and used it to more accurately measure its elasticity. developed an innovative destructive test of , showing that it is much less brittle. Than modern concrete Jackson also studied cores excavated from concrete in Roman ports, where seawater passing through the concrete reacted with it to produce new minerals, making concrete more cohesive and more cohesive over time. We decided to make it elastic.
However, Jackson has concerns about the new paper from Masic. The samples analyzed are undated and contain sand instead of the commonly used volcanic ash. So the samples are not representative of Roman concrete, she says. In response, Masic plans to have his team analyze other sites to “confirm our hypothesis” that the Romans used quicklime in a specific recipe known as hot mixing. The Masic team would also like to explore in more detail the impact of hot mixing on how the Romans constructed their structures.
So did Masic actually solve the mystery of how Roman concrete was made? “You know?” he says. “All I know is that I’ve been able to translate some of these concepts into the real world. That’s what excites me the most.” You may be able to build better concrete.
This recipe and process were lost over 1000 years ago. No similar concrete existed until Joseph Aspdin of England patented his 1824 material manufactured from a mixture of limestone and clay. He called it Portland Cement. This was because it resembled Portland Stone, a limestone used in construction in England.
Modern concrete is made by combining rock fragments with Portland cement (a mixture of limestone, clay or shale, and other ingredients), grinding and burning at 1,450 degrees Celsius (2,642 degrees Fahrenheit). The process produces huge amounts of greenhouse gases and leaves behind non-durable concrete. Especially in marine environments, it can degrade in as little as 50 years. By comparison, Roman concrete is strong and, unlike modern concrete, does not require rebar. And it’s relatively cheap.
King said current concrete infrastructure, such as roads, would cost six to ten times the original price when considering repairs over its lifetime. So if we could extend the life of the concrete that is currently being produced, even by just a few times its lifespan, it would dramatically reduce demand and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “When you build a new highway, you have a pothole every three years,” he says. “If you only have to fill a hole every 10 or 20 years, it’s a better material.” You don’t have to have concrete that will last 2,000 years to make a big difference.
On this front, Masic and Jackson’s lab are working with entrepreneurs interested in bringing their version of Roman concrete to market. For example, Jackson’s team worked with industry partners to create a synthetic version of volcanic tephra mined by the Romans.
After years of searching for answers, Jackson is pleased that the quest is gaining interest. That’s it,” she says. “This is incredibly sophisticated and complex material. and I am humbled to have to learn so much more.”
