Cracking the Secret of Ancient Roman Concrete's Durability

Researchers from MIT have discovered the secret behind the durability of ancient Roman concrete. Contrary to previous beliefs, the team found that the Romans used a technique called "hot mixing," which involved directly mixing quicklime with pozzolana and water at high temperatures. This method resulted in the formation of lime clasts, which gave the concrete remarkable self-healing abilities. When cracks formed, water reacted with the lime clasts to form calcium carbonate, effectively gluing the crack back together. The team is now working on commercializing this more durable concrete as an environmentally friendly alternative.