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Cement: Building Civilization

Cement has greatly contributed to modern civilization by enabling massive urban infrastructure. The Egyptians used a natural cement made of limestone and gypsum to construct pyramids, demonstrating cement's strength. Later, Romans advanced cement by using a combination of slaked lime and volcanic ash in structures like the Basilica of Constantine. In the 18th century, British engineer John Smeaton discovered that cement made from limestone and clay would harden under water, allowing him to successfully rebuild the Eddystone Lighthouse. In 1824, Joseph Aspdin received a patent for a hydraulic cement formula resembling modern cement, made by burning and grinding clay and limestone, which he called Portland cement.

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98 views2 pages

Cement: Building Civilization

Cement has greatly contributed to modern civilization by enabling massive urban infrastructure. The Egyptians used a natural cement made of limestone and gypsum to construct pyramids, demonstrating cement's strength. Later, Romans advanced cement by using a combination of slaked lime and volcanic ash in structures like the Basilica of Constantine. In the 18th century, British engineer John Smeaton discovered that cement made from limestone and clay would harden under water, allowing him to successfully rebuild the Eddystone Lighthouse. In 1824, Joseph Aspdin received a patent for a hydraulic cement formula resembling modern cement, made by burning and grinding clay and limestone, which he called Portland cement.

Uploaded by

Rey Anne Ilagan
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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HISTORY OF CEMENT

There is hardly any other product that has so greatly contributed to the growth of
modern human civilization as Cement. The massive urban infrastructure that we see
today across the world would have been unthinkable without cement. Cement is the root
substance that has given the essential element of strength and durability to our houses,
schools, offices and other buildings so that we can occupy them with peace of mind.

The word Cement literally means a substance that can bind material together and can
acquire strength on hardening. The cement as we know today is a specialized building
material which is a result of various innovations over the past and is made in
sophisticated manufacturing facilities.

Its use associated with ancient civilizations…

The oldest use of cement dates back to the thousands of years old Egyptian civilization.
The Egyptians used natural cement made by combining limestone and gypsum for the
construction of their massive and highly impressive pyramids. The fact that the Egyptian
Pyramids have proudly stood the test of time over such a long period of human history
is a testimony to the phenomenal strength of cement. However it must be stated that the
ancient Egyptian cement was very different from the cement in use today.

Later in the Roman era, the concept of cement advanced further. Romans used a
combination of slaked lime with Pozzolana, a volcanic ash from Mount Vesuvius. The
Romans made many impressive structures using this cement. The Basilica of
Constantine is one popular example of Roman construction in which they used such
cement mortar.

The Eddystone Lighthouse…

In eighteenth century England, John Smeaton, a British engineer, was assigned the
task of re-constructing the Eddystone Lighthouse, a structure that had witnessed
repeated structural failure. In 1756, Smeaton conducted a number of experiments that
led to the discovery that cement made from limestone containing a considerable
proportion of clay would harden under water. Based on this discovery, Smeaton rebuilt
this lighthouse in 1759 and this time, it stood strong for 126 years.
Subsequently, until the early part of the nineteenth century, large quantities of natural
cement was used, that was made with a combination of naturally occurring lime and
clay.

The first patent for cement…

In 1824, Joseph Aspdin, a British mason obtained a patent on his hydraulic cement
formula that closely resembled the modern cement as we know today. He called this
cement Portland Cement, and it was made through the proportionate mixing, burning
and the subsequent grinding of a combination of clay and limestone.

https://www.jklakshmicement.com/brief-history-of-cement/

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