History of Cement
Summary
TLDRIn this engaging video, we explore the fascinating history of cement from ancient times to the modern era. The journey begins with early non-hydraulic cements used by Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, and moves through the evolution of hydraulic cements, which could set in water. Along the way, we delve into the chemistry behind cement production, including the processes of calcining limestone and creating calcium silicate hydrates. The video also highlights the contributions of the Romans and the Industrial Revolution to cement development, concluding with the invention of Portland cement in the 19th century.
Takeaways
- 🏗️ Cement has a long history, from ancient times to Roman innovations and modern developments.
- 🌊 Hydraulic cement is stable in water, while non-hydraulic cement is not, making the latter unsuitable for wet environments.
- 🔥 Calcinating is a process that uses heat to break down chemical compounds, essential in making both ancient and modern cements.
- 🏛️ Ancient civilizations, like the Egyptians and Romans, used non-hydraulic cements made from limestone, but it wasn't suitable for high moisture environments.
- 🌋 Romans developed hydraulic cement using lime and volcanic ash, creating durable cement that could set in water.
- 🧪 The key to Roman cement's strength was the production of calcium silicate hydrates (CSH), a substance still crucial in modern cements.
- 🇮🇹 The best volcanic ash source for Roman cement came from Pozzuoli, Italy, giving rise to the term 'pozzolanic reactions.'
- 🏰 Roman structures like aqueducts, the Colosseum, and the Pantheon were built using their advanced concrete, which has lasted over 2,000 years.
- ⚒️ In the Industrial Revolution, volcanic ash was replaced by clay and shale, and Joseph Aspdin’s patent for Portland cement in 1824 revolutionized modern cement production.
- 🧱 Modern cements primarily rely on tri-calcium silicate (C3S), discovered by William Aspdin, which provides rapid strength gains and forms the basis of today’s concrete.
Q & A
What is hydraulic cement and why is it important?
-Hydraulic cement is a binder or glue that is stable in water. This property is crucial because it allows structures made with hydraulic cement to withstand exposure to moisture without falling apart, making it ideal for durable construction in wet environments.
What is the difference between hydraulic and non-hydraulic cement?
-Hydraulic cement is stable in water, meaning it can be used in wet conditions without degrading. Non-hydraulic cement, on the other hand, is not stable in water and will deteriorate if exposed to moisture, making it less suitable for environments where water exposure is likely.
What is the process of calcining, and why is it significant in cement making?
-Calcining is the process of using heat to break apart chemical compounds. In cement production, limestone (calcium carbonate) is heated to produce lime (calcium oxide) and carbon dioxide. This process is essential for creating the key ingredients for both ancient and modern cement formulations.
How did ancient civilizations like the Egyptians and Romans use non-hydraulic cement?
-Ancient civilizations used non-hydraulic cement by heating limestone to create lime, which they then mixed with water to form a slurry. This slurry would absorb carbon dioxide from the air and eventually harden into calcium carbonate, creating a solid but water-soluble material suitable for construction in dry environments.
What innovation did the Romans introduce to improve cement durability in water?
-The Romans developed hydraulic cement by combining lime with volcanic ash, creating a material that could set in water. This innovation allowed them to build durable structures like aqueducts, which transported water, and large public buildings, such as the Colosseum and the Pantheon, that could withstand wet conditions.
What are pozzolans, and why were they important in Roman cement?
-Pozzolans are minerals, like volcanic ash, that react with lime to create hydraulic cement. The Romans used pozzolans to create strong, water-resistant cement that could be used in a variety of structures, including aqueducts and temples. This material is known as pozzolanic cement.
What limitations did the Romans face with their pozzolanic cement?
-Roman pozzolanic cement had several limitations: volcanic ash was not available everywhere, meaning the material could only be produced near volcanic regions. Additionally, the strength gain of the cement took months, making it less efficient for rapid construction projects.
How did the industrial revolution impact cement development?
-During the industrial revolution, demand for hydraulic cement increased, especially in England and France. Scientists and builders began experimenting with alternative materials like clay, shale, and slate to replace volcanic ash. These materials required higher heat and energy, but allowed for the production of cement in areas far from volcanic regions.
What was Joseph Aspdin's contribution to modern cement, and why is it significant?
-Joseph Aspdin, an English mason, patented Portland cement in 1824. Although his formula was not successful, the name 'Portland cement' became the standard for modern cements because of its resemblance to high-quality Portland stone. His son, William Aspdin, later improved the formula to produce a more reactive cement that gained strength faster, leading to the creation of modern cement.
What is tri-calcium silicate, and why is it important in modern cement?
-Tri-calcium silicate (C3S), also known as alite, is the main reactive component in modern cement. It is responsible for the rapid strength gain in modern cements, making it an essential ingredient for today's construction materials.
Outlines
🛠️ Introduction to Cement: Origins and Concepts
The speaker introduces the history of cement, from ancient times to the Roman period and modern developments. They highlight the importance of understanding cement terminology, especially the distinction between hydraulic and non-hydraulic cement. Hydraulic cement, stable in water, is essential for construction, while non-hydraulic cement disintegrates when exposed to moisture. Key terminology such as 'calcining'—a process where heat breaks down chemical compounds—is also explained. The speaker prepares the audience for the technical details ahead, especially chemistry related to cement production.
🏛️ Ancient Cements: Solubility and Limitations
This section explores how ancient civilizations, including Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, used non-hydraulic cements made from calcined limestone. When mixed with water, limestone forms slaked lime (calcium hydroxide), which could harden by absorbing carbon dioxide from the air, transforming into calcium carbonate. However, this material had limitations, especially its solubility in water, making it unsuitable for wet environments. The speaker emphasizes that ancient cements hardened by drying, not hydration like modern cements, and took a long time to gain strength.
🌋 The Roman Innovation: Hydraulic Cements and Pozzolans
The Romans revolutionized cement by developing the first hydraulic cements. They combined lime with volcanic ash, producing a durable material that could set in water. The calcining process was key, but it had to be done twice to create calcium silicates, the main component of Roman cement. This mixture formed calcium silicate hydrate (CSH), the same compound used in modern cement. The speaker explains the Roman process of using volcanic ash, known as pozzolanic reaction, and how this technology led to long-lasting structures such as aqueducts and the Colosseum.
🏗️ Roman Engineering Marvels: Aqueducts, Colosseum, and More
Roman hydraulic cements enabled the construction of remarkable structures like aqueducts, the Colosseum, temples, and public baths, many of which still stand today. These cements were water-resistant, a crucial factor for aqueducts that transported water. The speaker also highlights the variability of volcanic ash, which could affect the quality of Roman cement, and the long curing times that delayed construction projects. Despite these challenges, Roman engineering was highly advanced, but cement technology saw little improvement during the Dark Ages.
🛠️ The Industrial Revolution and Portland Cement
In the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution reignited the demand for hydraulic cement. By studying Roman methods, scientists experimented with new materials like clay, shale, and slate to replace volcanic ash. This led to the development of di-calcium silicate (C2S), but it was slow to gain strength. In 1824, Joseph Aspdin patented 'Portland cement,' named for its resemblance to Portland stone. However, his formula was flawed, and it wasn’t until his son William improved it in the 1840s by using more lime and higher temperatures that the modern, fast-strengthening tri-calcium silicate (C3S) cement, known as 'alite,' was created, laying the foundation for modern construction.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Hydraulic cement
💡Non-hydraulic cement
💡Calcining
💡Lime (Calcium Oxide)
💡Slaked lime (Calcium Hydroxide)
💡Pozzolanic reaction
💡Calcium silicate hydrate (CSH)
💡Tri-calcium silicate (C3S)
💡Roman concrete
💡Portland cement
Highlights
Introduction to the history of cement, from ancient times to modern cements.
Explanation of the difference between hydraulic and non-hydraulic cements.
Discussion of calcinating limestone to make lime, a process used by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans.
The role of non-hydraulic cement in early civilizations and how it gains strength by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Limitations of non-hydraulic cement, particularly its solubility in water, making it unsuitable for wet environments.
Romans as the first civilization to develop hydraulic cement using volcanic ash and lime, making it stable in water.
The importance of volcanic ash in Roman cement, specifically from Pozzuoli, Italy, which produced durable, water-resistant structures like aqueducts.
Roman cement technology enabled long-lasting structures such as aqueducts, the Colosseum, and the Pantheon.
Challenges of Roman cement: inconsistent volcanic ash availability and long strength gain periods.
Revival of hydraulic cement during the Industrial Revolution using shale and clay to replace volcanic ash.
Joseph Aspdin's invention of Portland cement in 1824, named after the Portland stone.
Although Joseph Aspdin's original Portland cement formula didn’t work, his son William Aspdin improved it by using more lime and higher temperatures.
William Aspdin’s development of tri-calcium silicate (C3S), which became the foundation of modern cement.
Modern cements are based on tri-calcium silicate, which provides rapid strength gain, a critical feature for construction.
Roman cements, similar to modern cements, form calcium silicate hydrate, which acts as the binding glue in construction.
Transcripts
welcome concrete friends today is an
exciting day we're gonna be talking
about the history of cement ah yeah yeah
all the way from early early ancient
times through Roman cement through
modern cement I know
exciting right yeah we're gonna explain
it all we're gonna talk about
terminology we're gonna talk about the
saga the history the drama of how the
cement modern cements were developed
alright I gotta warn you though it's
gonna be some terminology along the way
there's gonna be some chemistry along
the way chemistry yeah I know it'll be
okay
don't worry don't worry stay with me the
history of cement first and foremost we
need to start out with some terminology
that's way we make sure we're all on the
same page first we're gonna talk about a
hydraulic cement that is a binder or
glue that is stable and water
and that's the type of cement you want
one that's stable in water because if
it's not stable once it rains it falls
apart that's not good so if a hydraulic
cement is stable in water what do you
think a non hydraulic cement is you got
it
it's a binder or glue that is not stable
in water
wha-wha-wha that's the one that's not as
valuable not as much as what we're into
that's one that if you build your house
out of it a trained your house is gonna
be falling down that's that's not good
and this is a term called cal signing
we're gonna use cal signing a lot cal
signing is to use heat to break apart
chemical compounds
and there's a very very classic version
Cal something I'm going to talk about in
just a second first let's start out
talking about the ancient cements the
non hydraulic cements these were used by
Egyptians by the Greeks by the early
Romans as a cement how did they make
them well they took limestone what's
limestone it's a rock yeah calcium
carbonate a rock and they cooked it to
about 2300 degrees Fahrenheit about and
they made lime and carbon dioxide yeah
carbon dioxide this process is called
cal signing and this carbon dioxide this
is the greenhouse gas that everyone's
kind of scared about gas goes into the
atmosphere not around anymore used to be
part of the rock you cook you cook you
cook it's not there anymore it floats
away all right but it leaves lime behind
you take the lime you add water to it
and you make something called slaked
lime or calcium hydroxide this is like a
slurry okay and these calcium hydroxide
crystals will talk more about calcium
hydroxide coming up their plate like and
I'm drawing is like a big plate but it's
not big no it's big underneath maybe a
scanning electron microscope or a really
really high power optical microscope
these things are maybe 20 microns in
size 20 microns how big is that it's
about half the size of a human hair
about okay a little bit less than that
but with enough water and mixing this
calcium hydroxide is actually soluble in
water so you get this slurry you make
this slurry of material and you glue
stuff together like bricks or stones or
whatever you want and then once it sits
out it absorbs carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere yeah I know pretty cool right
yeah it absorbs it and what does it make
it
makes calcium carbonate it makes what
you started out with and water that
water usually evaporates and goes away
but this is left as a solid so as the
material dried it truly gained
strengthen when you hear people say
concrete's drying if we talk about
modern concrete's that's not true that's
not true
concrete hydrates I'll talk more about
that coming up but old ancient cements
that's what they did they did dry right
they did as they gained carbon dioxide
from the atmosphere they would form a
solid limestone and then the water would
evaporate off they actually formed
artificial rock they could cast stone ah
pretty cool but sadly this limestone is
soluble in water remember that's the non
hydraulic cement that means if it rained
wouldn't it fall apart
good thing it doesn't rain in Egypt
right or very often this limestone
soluble in water so the cement could not
be used in high moisture environments
this is helpful and good but not exactly
what you want this material also took a
long time to gain strength for it to be
usable it's another thing that just
doesn't lend itself to rapid modern
construction those Romans they're pretty
clever cats they came up they're the
first ones to actually develop hydraulic
cements remember those are the cements
that set and are not soluble in water
you can actually use them in water if
you want that's amazing that's really
powerful so the Romans needed his cement
that was durable in water so they made
mixtures of line that's the same stuff I
was just talking talking about and
volcanic ash where do you get that from
a volcano right after it's already like
erupted you basically mine or dig up the
sides of it you mix it up with your lime
and again uuugh
take this limestone and you cook it to
get lime and carbon-dioxide this is
again cal signing remember cal signing
this is Cal signing this carbon dioxide
goes into the atmosphere
yikes but then you take this lime and
you mix it up with this reactive silicon
dioxide from the volcanic ash you
basically take the lime in in the
volcanic ash and then you cook that so
you've had to cook it twice and you end
up making a calcium silicate now you
notice I have an X and a Y here and an X
and a Y here because we don't really
know the Roman recipe we don't really
know how much quick lime they used and
how much volcanic ash they used but it's
likely that they didn't that this
reaction produced some calcium silicate
and there was actually probably some
volcanic ash left over okay
so not all the volcanic ash was used up
in this reaction and some of it was
probably available for further reactions
anyway
this makes something called a calcium
silicate right
some kind of calcium silicate so we take
this calcium silicate and we add water
to it and it makes something called the
calcium silicate hydrate and ladies and
gentlemen this is the Roman cements and
this is actually a kissing cousin to our
modern cements some some definite
similarities here calcium silicate
hydrates are the glue that we use in our
modern Smiths it is the good stuff
formed in our modern cements and we're
pretty sure and other experiments have
shown that the Romans produced it as
well calcium silicate hydrate also known
as cs8 or simple people and the world of
cement and we like to shorten things
this is cement chemistry shorthand every
time you see calcium oxide we call it C
in cement chemistry language every time
you see silicon dioxide we call it s
okay this really ticks off the chemists
they get so upset and we just think it's
funny and there's water h2o we just call
it h ha they think this is carbon sulfur
and hydrogen but not the cement chemists
this is calcium silicate hydrate this is
the good stuff this is what we're all
about
CSH and the best source of volcanic ash
in the world the best source that the
Romans knew about was in Basel I Italy
right this reaction was therefore named
pozzolanic and any minerals that led to
these reactions are called pozzolans
these hydraulic cements were used on
several major projects that are still in
existence today let's take a look this
is the Roman aqueducts this is what the
Romans used to build to take water from
miles away from their cities and bring
them in bring them in bring them in to
the city centre where they could drink
from it bathe in it do all kinds of
things in it when you can control and
produce fresh water that is really
powerful for a civilization but how
would I make these I'm gonna these
things actually transport water yeah
yeah there's actually water carried in
these channels and in this channel right
here there's water that actually goes in
there if I made this with a non
hydraulic cement the water itself would
cause and make it to collapse
the Romans had to have a hydraulic
cement just like the ones I was talking
about before but they didn't just fill
aqueducts right Romans built all kinds
of things like the Colosseum this is
like their big amphitheater where they
had battles and they actually had sea
battles inside of here all kinds of
crazy stuff with monsters and humans
fighting the Colosseum like our modern
sports stadiums also their temples this
is the
theone again built with roman concrete
lasting over 2,000 years it's pretty
amazing right and then the baths of
caracalla
okay these are huge public baths or
where they would go and bathe and hang
out again all made with Roman concrete
those Romans pretty clever cats right
there's a big problem though there's a
big problem with these cements volcanic
ash isn't available everywhere you got
to be near a volcano also when they were
digging it out of the volcano it's quite
variable as in one area may produce
great cement and another area would
produce horrible cement that's a problem
so the cement is variable you had to
have an actual volcano another bad thing
is the strength gain took months months
they wouldn't be able to use these
structures for months after being built
but they were long lasting there were
very little improvements in the cement
technology during the dark ages actually
not much technology at all developed
during the dark ages
except for weapons I guess but about
1800 years later during the industrial
revolution demand was again increased
for a hydraulic cement is in England now
they're really pushing for this France
as well the first thing they did is they
studied what the Romans did and they
looked at this volcanic ash and they
said you know what maybe we could use
clay or shale or slate okay the silicon
dioxide was in this form kaolinite had
aluminum in it as well think of it as
like tile but it's not as reactive as
this ash so more heat was required again
but more heat what's that gonna mean
that means more energy more energy means
cost more cost more for the environment
to make but that's what they needed to
do
so it took the quick climb they got this
sio2 silicon dioxide they cooked it at a
height or higher temperature and they
were able to produce dye calcium
silicate dye calcium silicate and this
in cement chemistry shorthand is known
as c2 s or also known as B light B light
this solved the problem of the
availability of the volcanic ash but
again
the cements took months months to gain
strength and that just wasn't what
people wanted so in 1824 an English
Mason named Joseph Aspen was actually
awarded a patent for something called
Portland cement and this name was given
to the product because it resembled the
prestigious cliffs of Portland the
prestigious Portland stone let me show
you a picture that this is the Portland
stone this was a highly sought after
known as super high quality wouldn't it
be amazing if you could sell somebody a
bag that you would mix up with water
that would make a stone that looked like
this this was oh my gosh
people wanted this and Joseph Aspen was
an amazing marketer he was actually way
better marketer than he was a Mason and
way better marketer than he was a cement
manufacturer I tell you why the reason
why I said he was such a better marketer
than he was a cement manufacturer was
because the cement at least as it's
written in his patent because of lots
and lots of people tried to develop it
it didn't work it didn't work it's kind
of crazy that
that basically gave the name Portland
cement and all modern cements are
Portland cements they're called that
Portland cements that name from Joseph
Aspen his formula didn't work it didn't
but in 1840 Joseph's son William Aspen
actually solve this problem he he
actually finally made material that
would gain strength at a rapid rate by
using a larger amount of lime and higher
temperatures so he used more lime higher
temperature and he produced something
called tri calcium silicate did he know
what he was doing no he was just trying
stuff he got lucky he produced tri
calcium silicate which we call C 3s and
this ladies and gentlemen is also called
a light and this this is the building
block the main reactive component of our
modern cements today
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