Concrete And Arches Essay

The Development of Concrete and Arches

Concrete and arches. These two items were intrinsic to Roman architectural success. It can be noted, in fact, that the concrete of the Romans, pozzolanic concrete, was far superior to modern "Portland" concrete, able to withstand more strain, last longer, and survive more of nature and man's collective brutalities. In terms of arches, the Romans did not create the arch, but they darn near perfected it, making exemplary use of their materials and workmanship to make aesthetically pleasing, but inherently useful, structures that relied on the arch.

Concrete

"Pozzolana was used to make mortar and also, when mixed with lime and strengthening materials such as chips of rock and broken brick, concrete" (Kamm, n.d,). Concrete, of course, is a material that most people are familiar with. Today, concrete can

Arches were as aesthetically pleasing as they were useful, and formed the base of many Roman structures, most notable being the aqueducts that provided Roman towns and cities with ample fresh water.

Importance. If you have ever seen Roman architecture, you have no doubt seen the use or arches within Roman architecture. From the facade of the colosseum to the Triumphal Arch, from the aqueducts to the temples, the Romans clearly loved their arches, and made extremely good use of them.

Results of Its Use. Without the arch there would not have been such phenomenal use of space, in terms of aqueducts, as well as with materials. Arches enabled tings to be build taller, without necessitating undue compensation for weight strain. The phenomenal success of the Roman aqueduct system would have been nonexistent, without the use of the arch.