Christopher PhinApr 6, 2023
They’ve figured out the secret of ancient Roman concrete’s durability! And it’s really cool! https://news.mit.edu/2023/roman-concrete-durability-lime-casts-0106
Riddle solved: Why was Roman concrete so durable?

Researchers have discovered ancient Roman concrete-manufacturing strategies that incorporated self-healing. Applying this knowledge toward modern cement production, they hope to improve the material’s environmental impact.

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Show thread@faktoiderApr 7, 2023

@chrisphin Haven't the healing properties of Roman concrete been known for some time? Here's a 2015 article that specifically mentions it.

https://canada.constructconnect.com/dcn/news/technology/2015/09/roman-concrete-more-than-stands-the-test-of-time-1010334w

Roman concrete more than stands the test of time - constructconnect.com - Daily Commercial News

The secrets of Roman concrete could pave the way for greener concrete, according to researchers who have created a recipe to replicate the mix as it was 1,900 years ago.

Daily Commercial News
Show threadChristopher Phin
@faktoider Not an expert. 😄 But that article seems specifically to be referring to the ash, which had been know but which was an incomplete explanation. The specific chemistry around lime is the new discovery, I believe.
Apr 7, 2023 at 8:47amIvory for iOS