Researchers have turned to an ancient Roman concrete recipe to develop more durable concrete that lasts for centuries and can potentially reduce the carbon impact of the built environment.
To construct architectural marvels that still stand today, ancient Romans combined lime, volcanic ash, and aggregates with water to create concrete. A key difference from how modern concrete is processed is temperature.
Today, we use cold mixing—a process conducted under ambient temperatures—but Romans used hot mixing, heating the mixture to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. This resulted in a key change in the lime that provides concrete with the ability to self-heal.
“Due to hot mixing and creation of these tiny granules of lime due to hot mixing, eventually you create a mechanism that just naturally goes and fills the crack with the material and prevents water to flow and propagation of the crack,” an MIT professor told National Public Radio. If modern manufacturers can emulate the ancient method, the result would be longer lasting structures that in the long run will result in using less concrete which will correspond to less emissions.
Listen to the NPR Weekend Edition segment:
Related Stories
75 Top Products | Nov 30, 2022
75 top building products for 2022
Each year, the Building Design+Construction editorial team evaluates the vast universe of new and updated products, materials, and systems for the U.S. building design and construction market. The best-of-the-best products make up our annual 75 Top Products report.
Building Materials | Aug 3, 2022
Shawmut CEO Les Hiscoe on coping with a shaky supply chain in construction
BD+C's John Caulfield interviews Les Hiscoe, CEO of Shawmut Design and Construction, about how his firm keeps projects on schedule and budget in the face of shortages, delays, and price volatility.
Concrete | Jul 26, 2022
Consortium to set standards and create markets for low-carbon concrete
A consortium of construction firms, property developers, and building engineers have pledged to drive down the carbon emissions of concrete.
Reconstruction & Renovation | May 4, 2022
AIA course: Concrete buildings — Effective solutions for restoration and major repairs
The history of concrete construction between 1950 and 1970 offers architects and construction professionals a framework for how to rehabilitate these buildings today using both time-tested and emerging technologies. This course, worth 1.0 AIA LU, was authored by Henry Moss, AIA, LEED AP, Principal with Bruner/Cott Architects.
Concrete Technology | Apr 19, 2022
SGH’s Applied Science & Research Center achieves ISO 17025 accreditation for concrete testing procedures
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger’s (SGH) Applied Science & Research Center recently received ISO/IEC17025 accreditation from the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) for several concrete testing methods.
AEC Tech Innovation | Mar 9, 2022
Meet Emerge: WSP USA's new AEC tech incubator
Pooja Jain, WSP’s VP-Strategic Innovation, discusses the pilot programs her firm’s new incubator, Emerge, has initiated with four tech startup companies. Jain speaks with BD+C's John Caulfield about the four AEC tech firms to join Cohort 1 of the firm’s incubator.
Codes and Standards | Feb 28, 2022
Low-cost concrete alternative absorbs CO2
Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute have developed a new CO2-absorbing material that’s a low-cost alternative to concrete.
Products and Materials | Feb 24, 2022
MAXXON® Corporation announces strategic affiliation with S3 Surface Solutions
Maxxon® Corporation, creator of Gyp-Crete® and a leader in the underlayment industry for 50 years, has aligned with S3 Surface Solutions, an innovative manufacturer of products that address problematic concrete slabs, to bring innovative, technology-driven subfloor preparation solutions to the flooring industry.
Sponsored | Reconstruction & Renovation | Jan 25, 2022
Concrete buildings: Effective solutions for restorations and major repairs
Architectural concrete as we know it today was invented in the 19th century. It reached new heights in the U.S. after World War II when mid-century modernism was in vogue, following in the footsteps of a European aesthetic that expressed structure and permanent surfaces through this exposed material. Concrete was treated as a monolithic miracle, waterproof and structurally and visually versatile.
Sponsored | Resiliency | Jan 24, 2022
Blast Hazard Mitigation: Building Openings for Greater Safety and Security