Chemical, Mineralogical and Mechanical Characterization of Ancient Roman Concrete and Mortar: A Review

Abstract

Roman concrete is one of the most fascinating materials ever invented by humankind. Understanding the historical context and details of the production of ancient Roman concrete (ARC) is necessary to comprehend its nature. Recently, the interest in researching ARC has grown considerably, leading to several projects to describe its production. Remarkable properties were attributed to ARC, with durability emerging as one of the most relevant but also the most misunderstood. The reasons for the durability of Roman structures are still under investigation, and various hypotheses have linked its durability to the microstructure, or its chemical and mineralogical composition. In this literature review, historical facts contextualize ARC and detail the specific materials and methods used for production. It also becomes clear that the chemical, mineralogical, and mechanical characterization of ARC has begun to link research from different disciplines, providing an overview of this material, and exploring some of the unexplained facts that could potentially improve today’s concrete technology.