Romans Masonry Concrete Lime Volcanic Ash Brick: Opus Caementicium
Romans Masonry Concrete Lime Volcanic Ash Brick: Opus Caementicium
All I
see is signs. Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling
modern concrete that was made from crushed rock with burnt lime as binder. Thevolcanic ash and
pulverized brick additives that were added to the burnt lime to obtain a hydraulic binder were later
referred to ascementum, cimentum, cment, and cement.
Cements used in construction can be characterized as being either hydraulic or non-hydraulic,
depending upon the ability of the cement to be used in the presence of water (see hydraulic and
non-hydraulic lime plaster).
A cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens as the cement dries and also reacts with
carbon dioxide in the air dependently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement"
traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling
modern concrete that was made from crushed rock with burnt lime as binder. Thevolcanic ash and
pulverized brick additives that were added to the burnt lime to obtain a hydraulic binder were later
referred to ascementum, cimentum, cment, and cement.
Cements used in construction can be characterized as being either hydraulic or non-hydraulic,
depending upon the ability of the cement to be used in the presence of water (see hydraulic and
non-hydraulic lime plaster).