The Evolution of Cementitious Materials Through History

The use of cementitious materials dates back to the beginning of the Epipaleolithic period. Examples for ancient cementitious materials from Israel, Egypt, Turkey, and Italy are numerous.Prior to Aspdin's patent of portland cement at the first half of the 19th century, cementitious materials were composed of earth, mixture of earth and limestone, calcium sulfates, and slaked lime with and without pozzolans. The latter comprises pozzolanic materials from volcanic and sedimentary origin, crushed burnt clay brick, and dust brick. Frequently, organic fibers were incorporated for reinforcement. This paper describes the evolution of the cementitious materials through time and highlights the durability of ancient cementitious materials as compares to that of portland cement concrete.Although modem concrete is characterized by its high strength and low permeability, it often faces durability problems. In turn, ancient concretes examined exhibit low strength but have proved to be durable materials. Microstructural examination reveals that the groundmass of the latter has been carbonated and is highly porous. Nevertheless, no specific cracking pattern could be observed. The outstanding performance of ancient concrete structures implies that thermodynamic stability rather that mechanical strength is a key point for a long-term durability.