Roman marine concrete can become stronger through interactions with seawater, helping explain why ancient harbour structures survived conditions that steadily destroy modern materials

Roman marine concrete can become stronger through interactions with seawater, helping explain why ancient harbour structures survived conditions that steadily destroy modern materials

body.single-post h1.entry-title,body.single-post .entry-title{text-transform:none!important;} For most concrete, seawater is an enemy. Salt penetrates pores, chemical reactions disrupt the cement paste and chlorides can reach steel reinforcement, where corrosion expands and cracks the surrounding material. Yet cores drilled from ancient Roman breakwaters tell a very different story. In the right Roman mixture, contact with seawater did not merel…