Although it is one of the most popular construction materials today, a lot of people do not exactly know where concrete came from. Given its wide-ranging applications and importance in the construction industry, it will be good to take a look at the beginnings of such material, which will also give you an understanding of how valuable it is today.
The earliest forms of concrete, which is different from the material that we know today, can be traced back from as early as the 3,000 BC, wherein it has been used for the construction of the Egyptian pyramids. Mud and straw were been mixed to create such construction material. In 300 BC, on the other hand, Roman architectures also began using concrete, which is closer to the one that is commonly used today compared to what the Egyptians had. Early forms of cement had been used in building some of the most popular attractions in Rome today, including the Pantheon and Colosseum.
Portland cement was introduced in 1824 in England by John Aspdin. It was named Portland because the latter was then popular as a place that has very strong stone. It is made with the use of aggregates of fine and coarse stone, sand, and water. This is one of the components of the concrete that we all know today.
In 1836, in Germany, the first test to evaluate the tensile strength of concrete had been performed. Both tensile and compressive strength are aimed at determining how strong of a material it is. This has also paved way for more innovative technologies in concrete cutting as the succeeding versions of the material were made to be stronger.
In 1891, the first street in America that used concrete was built. In 1908, the first concrete homes were designed and built by Thomas Edison. In 1936, the Hoover Dam was completed, which is recognised as the largest construction project to have used concrete. Through the years, it has been used in more projects and more advancements have been introduced, such as adding colour and improving strength.