Publication

The early German production and use of modern hydraulic binders: between English influences and the search for a scientific approach, 1817-1839

Salvatore Aprea
2014
Poster talk
Abstract

The interest of German building masters towards hydraulic binders grows at the third decade of the 19th century. This acute interest is stimulated by the import of «Roman Cement» from England and by the acquisition of the knowledge related to it. The dissertation examines the historical events related to the introduction of «Roman Cement» in Germany. It takes into account the simultaneous search for a German way to the development of hydraulic binders based on scientific theories rather than on empirical experiences. Two geographic areas are identified. The East-North-Central States, where the production of cement starts by the end of the 1820s in imitation of «Roman Cement». The South-West-Central States, where the production of hydraulic lime starts by the early 1830s as implementation of German scientific studies about lime and mortar, not as imitation of «Roman Cement». Data and facts have been collected from the 19th century technical literature, books, periodicals, pamphlets, and from archival sources. This dissertation belongs to the literature concerning the early development of German hydraulic binders in the 19th century. Nevertheless, while most of studies focus on regional subjects and claim that the German industry of «Roman Cement» arises by the 1830s even in the South of the country, this dissertation ranges over a wider geographical scale, it evaluates different inputs and shows that, in the South of the country, the production of hydraulic lime arises by the 1830s and represents the root of the peculiar German scientific approach to the production and use of modern hydraulic binders.

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Related concepts (47)
Cement
A cement is a binder, a chemical substance used for construction that sets, hardens, and adheres to other materials to bind them together. Cement is seldom used on its own, but rather to bind sand and gravel (aggregate) together. Cement mixed with fine aggregate produces mortar for masonry, or with sand and gravel, produces concrete. Concrete is the most widely used material in existence and is behind only water as the planet's most-consumed resource.
Concrete
Concrete is a composite material composed of aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement that cures over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most widely used building material. Its usage worldwide, ton for ton, is twice that of steel, wood, plastics, and aluminium combined. When aggregate is mixed with dry Portland cement and water, the mixture forms a fluid slurry that is easily poured and molded into shape.
Portland cement
Portland cement is the most common type of cement in general use around the world as a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco, and non-specialty grout. It was developed from other types of hydraulic lime in England in the early 19th century by Joseph Aspdin, and is usually made from limestone. It is a fine powder, produced by heating limestone and clay minerals in a kiln to form clinker, grinding the clinker, and adding 2 to 3 percent of gypsum. Several types of portland cement are available.
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