One can hardly study the Romans without thinking of great arched entryways, since the arch is so pivotal to Roman architecture. Today this is an examination of the arch and the use of concrete and a discussion of the importance of each in the life of Romans and the results of their use.
According to Kamm, A. (2008), the introduction of some of the very basic elements in Roman architecture, especially the dome, the arch, the vault and the use of concrete were the elements that really began to set the Romans and their style apart from others. In this paper the focus is on the main two essential elements, the arch and concrete.
With the invention of Roman concrete, this enabled buildings such as the Pantheon to continue to stand today, despite …show more content…
Using the arch allowed the Romans to span a wide distance with little material, creating the graceful entrances that Roman buildings and various structures are known for. The Romans used the arch in a myriad of ways, one of the more common uses was for bridges, this enabled many of the wealthiest people to live outside the city and commute daily for business, since life was much quieter in the suburbs of Rome as a result they had a better quality of …show more content…
Without the use of the arch, this enormous building would have long since crumbled away. (Artifice.Inc, 2013) Of course this building would not have been possible without concrete.
The Roman concrete has long been a puzzle to modern engineers, how is it that roman concrete has withstood the ages, especially underwater, when modern cement has a lifespan as little as 50 years depending on it's application. The basis of the Roman concrete was pozzolana, a volcanic earth originally found near the Greek settlement of Puteoli, and subsequently discovered in vast quantities around Rome. Pozzolana was mixed with lime and materials, such as rock and tiles, to add strength forming concrete. (Kamm, A. 2008).
Finally, according to (Pruitt, 2013) researchers obtained and examined a small piece of Roman concrete and discovered the following, the Romans mixed lime with the volcanic ash called pozzolana for their concrete, this particular concoction when mixed with sea water causes a chemical reaction that bonded the materials better than the normal Portland cement mixture used today. This was an exciting discovery and has led to experiments with a more sustainable substance to create concrete in the
According to Kamm, A. (2008), the introduction of some of the very basic elements in Roman architecture, especially the dome, the arch, the vault and the use of concrete were the elements that really began to set the Romans and their style apart from others. In this paper the focus is on the main two essential elements, the arch and concrete.
With the invention of Roman concrete, this enabled buildings such as the Pantheon to continue to stand today, despite …show more content…
Using the arch allowed the Romans to span a wide distance with little material, creating the graceful entrances that Roman buildings and various structures are known for. The Romans used the arch in a myriad of ways, one of the more common uses was for bridges, this enabled many of the wealthiest people to live outside the city and commute daily for business, since life was much quieter in the suburbs of Rome as a result they had a better quality of …show more content…
Without the use of the arch, this enormous building would have long since crumbled away. (Artifice.Inc, 2013) Of course this building would not have been possible without concrete.
The Roman concrete has long been a puzzle to modern engineers, how is it that roman concrete has withstood the ages, especially underwater, when modern cement has a lifespan as little as 50 years depending on it's application. The basis of the Roman concrete was pozzolana, a volcanic earth originally found near the Greek settlement of Puteoli, and subsequently discovered in vast quantities around Rome. Pozzolana was mixed with lime and materials, such as rock and tiles, to add strength forming concrete. (Kamm, A. 2008).
Finally, according to (Pruitt, 2013) researchers obtained and examined a small piece of Roman concrete and discovered the following, the Romans mixed lime with the volcanic ash called pozzolana for their concrete, this particular concoction when mixed with sea water causes a chemical reaction that bonded the materials better than the normal Portland cement mixture used today. This was an exciting discovery and has led to experiments with a more sustainable substance to create concrete in the