A Brief History of Concrete

First off, we need to be clear about the difference between concrete and cement.

Cement is a bonding material made from varying combinations of ingredients such as limestone, clay, shells, chalk, slate, shale, silica sand, and sometimes even iron ore or slag. The ingredients get crushed together, heated, mixed with gypsum, then crushed again. This mix is activated when water is added, and is used to bind everything together.

Concrete is what is produced when mixing cement, water, and an aggregate (usually sand and rocks) together. This creates a liquid that can be easily poured into a mold in order to harden over time into a predetermined shape. And now for a history of concrete.

12 million years ago — Naturally occurring cement was first formed in Israel after spontaneous combustion caused limestone and oil shale react with each other, creating deposits of natural cement.

6500 BC — Underground desert cisterns are created by Bedouin traders to store water. A few of these cisterns are still exist today.

5600 BC — Homes in the area of the former Yugoslavia are built with concrete flooring.

3000 BC — Gypsum and lime are mixed to create a rudimentary form of cement used as mortar for the pyramids in Ancient Egypt.

3000 BC — The Ancient Chinese use a type of cement to build the Great Wall and other structures. Their cement includes a paste made from rice.

1300 BC — Middle Eastern builders begin coating their clay homes and other buildings with a paste of burnt limestone to form a hard, protective coating.

700 BC — Bedouin merchants discover hydraulic lime, a type of cement that hardens underwater.

300BC – The beginning of the construction of The Great Wall of China. It continued to be built and improved over the course of many years and dynasties.

200 BC to 466 AD — Concrete and cement are used extensively by the Romans. They go on to build the Pantheon and the Colosseum, among other structures. They use animal by-products such as a milk, fat, and blood as admixtures to change the properties of the concrete.

1700s – A bricklayer in Andernach, Germany, tried mixing volcanic ash called trass with lime mortar. The resulting material was water-resistant and strong — and the chain reaction started by the discovery would lead to the creation of modern cement.

1759 – The first successful use of concrete was by John Smeaton in his reconstruction of the Eddystone Lighthouse. He rediscovered hydraulic lime, the first type of concrete ever invented, while preparing to construct the lighthouse, using it for its ability to hold up under water.

1824 — Joseph Aspdin created his patented Portland cement when he heated clay and limestone together and then let it cool. This resulted in the use of vertical shaft kilns in cement manufacturing.

1875  — The first reinforced concrete, fireproof home is built in the USA by William Ward. It is designed to resemble masonry for aesthetic reasons.

1889  — Alvord Lake Bridge is built in California, USA as the first reinforced concrete bridge.

1891  — George Bartholomew pours the first concrete street in the USA, which still exists today.

1902  — August Perret of France designs and builds an apartment building in Paris using steel-reinforced concrete.

1904  — The Ingalls Building is constructed in Cincinnati, Ohio as the first concrete high-rise building. It is 16 stories tall.

1913  — The first load of Ready-Mix concrete is delivered to Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

1915  — Colored concrete is developed by the L.M. Scofield Company.

1928  — Eugène Freyssinet patents pre-stressed concrete.

1930  — Thin shell concrete begins to be used for roofing.

1935  — The Hoover Dam is completed, using roughly 4,360,000 cubic yards of concrete. Instead of being one big, slow-cooling pour, the dam is poured in columnar blocks that are cooled by water pipes.

1950  — Decorative concrete is developed and begins to be popularized.

1970  — Fiber reinforcement is introduced to strengthen concrete.

1999  — The Swedish company HTC introduces concrete polishing to the USA. It begins to be used for warehouses, retail locations, schools, offices, and homes.

2011  — The tallest reinforced concrete structure in the world is constructed. The Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, stands 2,717 feet tall.

Humanity has had ages to develop and perfect the art and science of using concrete. Making it one of the best materials you can use for your project. We hope you enjoyed reading this history of concrete. Get in touch with Brainerd Concrete today to begin a concrete project of your own!