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MORTAR STUDIES TOWARDS THE REPLICATION OF ROMAN CONCRETE
Author(s) -
GOLDSWORTHY HELEN,
ZHU MIN
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
archaeometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1475-4754
pISSN - 0003-813X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-4754.2009.00450.x
Subject(s) - mortar , compressive strength , pozzolan , lime , replication (statistics) , materials science , lime mortar , scanning electron microscope , composite material , geotechnical engineering , geology , cement , metallurgy , mathematics , portland cement , statistics
The use of strong and durable materials is one essential ingredient leading to the survival of many monumental Roman concrete structures. Replicated concrete mortars with different lime to pozzolan ratios, encompassing the range likely to have been used by the Romans, have been studied here to determine their relative compressive strengths as a function of time. This has been supplemented by the use of the scanning electron microscope to delve into the structure and composition of the binders formed within the strongest and weakest mortars, leading to a deeper understanding of the reasons for the differences in compressive strength.