History of Concrete

The use of concrete goes back to ancient times.  The Egyptians, Babylonians and Romans were the first to bring the use of concrete to fruition. It has been long used for construction of structures and roadways and is still in use today for the same tasks. How was this discovered and how was its use decided?

It was discovered around 12,000,000 BC that when limestone and oil shale were combined there was a spontaneous combustion which resulted in the creation of concrete. A few million years later came the Egyptians which would mix mud and straw together for bricks as well as using gypsum mortar, all of which is evident in the construction of the Great Pyramids in the Valley of the Kings. By 800 BC the Greeks and those in Crete and Cyprus had discovered the tensile strength of using a mortar with a limestone base was much harder and sturdier than earlier inclinations of the mix.  This would eventually give birth to the Roman pozzolana cement of 300 BC.

Mixing limestone with animal fat, milk and even blood the Romans were able to build the Aqueduct, Baths, Coliseum and Pantheon with the newest cement mixture. This mixture was so strong and durable that these megaliths of existence still stand testimony to the Roman culture to this day.  The Romans were historically a source of wide invention and not only did they create and build these beauties of yesteryear, but they also lain over 5,500 miles of concrete roadway throughout what was their country.  Vestiges of these highways still remain.

The Fall of the Roman Empire gave way to the loss of much knowledge, including the use of concrete, and this formula would not be found again until 1414 AD and the interest in concrete was reinitiated. The Ponte of Notre Dame was constructed of concrete in 1499 Paris using the ancient Roman formula.  History finally took charge of change to the formula in the 1700s with Englishman John Smeaton, an engineer, as he searched for and found a more durable concrete type.  With water and limestone he was able to create a stronger mix that could actually be used underwater as well as on land when added to clay.  By the 19th century Joseph Aspdin found a superior strength mix when he burned and hardened the concrete in a kiln.

Reinforced with iron mesh, Portland concrete was born in the late 19th century by Joseph Monier, a French gardener.  The tensile strength of the concrete reinforced with steel was of such high quality that this was used for building and bridge construction clear through the 20th century.  Throughout the 1900s different sized kilns were invented as the needs arose for further applications of concrete from inventors such as Thomas Edison and his rotary kiln.

Current day applications for concrete include cast-in place molds for decoration and foundation slabs.  Fiber cement uses sand, fibers and concrete to give the mortar a wooden appearance. Various other applications include beams, drains, and piping as well as masonry and hardscapes.  Soils can be solidified and upheld with concrete reinforcements.

Concrete is a very important substance to building, reinforcements and decoration.  It can be disguised in color, shape and texture to look like other less durable and tensile products.  Its rich history continues to grow as more applications are discovered for its use.