The ancient Romans were experts in building. Their aqueducts, temples and domes still impress people today because of a special kind of concrete that has lasted for centuries.

What made Roman concrete strong

Romans mixed volcanic ash with lime and this mixture reacted with water to make a very strong concrete. Many people believe that this chemical reaction was the main reason it lasted so long.

A new discovery about Roman concrete

In 2023, scientists at MIT studied 2,000-year-old concrete from Italy and they found something they weren’t expecting. The Romans did not always use slaked lime. Instead, they mixed quicklime with volcanic ash and water at very high temperatures. This created small white chunks of lime inside the concrete called lime clasts. These are important because they help the concrete heal itself so when cracks appear, water reacts with the lime to create calcium carbonate which fills the cracks and makes the concrete stronger again.

Why is Roman concrete still important today?

Tests show that concrete made with the Roman method can heal cracks within weeks while normal concrete cannot. Recent studies also show that although Roman-style concrete uses more water and energy at the beginning of the process, it lasts much longer than modern concrete. If you need concrete Swindon, firms such as monstermixconcrete.co.uk/concrete-swindon can offer supplies.

Roman concrete has lasted for thousands of years because of smart chemistry and skillful construction. Modern engineers and scientists are still learning from the Roman techniques to build stronger and longer-lasting concrete.