Rome: The Invention Of Concrete

Introduction

The most important invention of the Romans was the invention of concrete, because it made a lot of other inventions possible. The Romans invented concrete by mixing pozzolana (which was a chocolate-colored volcanic material) and limestone. They then added strengthening materials like bricks and rocks. This mix was heated to a high enough temperature to make the substances fuse. The material would then be pulverized, with which you would get a powder. When this powder was mixed with water, it would become as hard as rock.

Concrete

Concrete made it possible to use bricks and concrete to build massive permanent structures. Concrete took the place of rubble for the filling between the bricks of a wall. Stones that were irregularly shaped could now easily be used to build a wall because they had concrete to

The public buildings were used to service the public, and the architecture that was made possible by the use of concrete was something the Romans used to distinguish themselves from other civilizations. Building materials and labor were cheap and both were available in big amounts. Roman architecture was built to stand for eternity and still stands after many centuries in Italy, North Africa, France and the Middle East.

With concrete almost all architectural ambitions could be completed. Although the Romans were not the inventors of the arch, they used it to solve seemingly unsolvable situations in architecture. Unfortunately some triumphal arches stand solitarily in their environment. Other arches support bridges and aqueducts and are therefore more in tune with their surroundings. The arch made it possible to cross wide spaces, like broad rivers. Also rows of arches were used to bring fresh water from the mountains through a system of pipes and tunnels to the