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Roman concrete was probably made by mixing the quicklime directly with the pozzolana and water at extremely high temperatures, by itself or in addition to slaked lime, a process the team calls "hot mixing" that results in the lime clasts.
"The benefits of hot mixing are twofold," Masic said.
"First, when the overall concrete is heated to high temperatures, it allows chemistries that are not possible if you only used slaked lime, producing high-temperature-associated compounds that would not otherwise form. Second, this increased temperature significantly reduces curing and setting times since all the reactions are accelerated, allowing for much faster construction."
When cracks form in the concrete, they preferentially travel to the lime clasts, which have a higher surface area than other particles in the matrix. When water gets into the crack, it reacts with the lime to form a solution rich in calcium that dries and hardens as calcium carbonate, gluing the crack back together and preventing it from spreading further.
so will we see this method adopted by modern companies?
originally posted by: mysterioustranger
a reply to: ElGoobero
Interesting. It's said a Stradivarius violin gets it's bright sound...because he mixed volcanic ash into the varnish. Hard, solid, lasts forever.
Amazing they learned to do concrete "underwater" too!
originally posted by: XipeTotex
a reply to: ElGoobero
I have gotten some experimental geopolymers from a university, also made a "self healing" mix by accident.
Best batches were made from granite that i powdered to different sizes, varying from chunks to dust.
Really useful stuff, pretty much cured in 24 hours in molds.
These things were available in ancient times too.
originally posted by: stonerwilliam
originally posted by: XipeTotex
a reply to: ElGoobero
I have gotten some experimental geopolymers from a university, also made a "self healing" mix by accident.
Best batches were made from granite that i powdered to different sizes, varying from chunks to dust.
Really useful stuff, pretty much cured in 24 hours in molds.
These things were available in ancient times too.
I can remember a thread here from years ago where this was being discussed and finding old newspaper articles about this technique with granite being powdered down in a 3 to 1 ratio unfortunately the site went offline as did the member I was talking to about it .
And laughing as bat # or guano and salt were discussed as well
originally posted by: XipeTotex
originally posted by: stonerwilliam
originally posted by: XipeTotex
a reply to: ElGoobero
I have gotten some experimental geopolymers from a university, also made a "self healing" mix by accident.
Best batches were made from granite that i powdered to different sizes, varying from chunks to dust.
Really useful stuff, pretty much cured in 24 hours in molds.
These things were available in ancient times too.
I can remember a thread here from years ago where this was being discussed and finding old newspaper articles about this technique with granite being powdered down in a 3 to 1 ratio unfortunately the site went offline as did the member I was talking to about it .
And laughing as bat # or guano and salt were discussed as well
You would be surprised how nasty guano and stuff like that can be made, potent chemicals, also powdering granite to dust, even a monkey can do that.. its a valid theory i think.
Its really a whole big thing, there are true geopolymers then there is a wide range of alkali activated materials that differ from your basic portland cement.
The more i researched it the more it all starts to look like that someone has deleted technology in the last couple hundred years or so.
originally posted by: Vroomfondel
a reply to: ElGoobero
so will we see this method adopted by modern companies?
Never. They could be doing it now but then they wouldn't have ongoing contracts for continuous repairs. Roman roads have lasted thousands of years. Modern roads get repaired every year and they need it badly because they simply don't last.