Concrete—it’s everywhere. You see it every day. Whether you’re at home, work or school, there’s no escaping it. Concrete is one of the most prevalent construction materials in the world. You may think you know everything about it, but here are seven interesting facts you didn’t know about concrete.
Concrete Can Be Found in Nature
While we tend to think of concrete as a man-made substance, there is at least one instance of the material occurring in nature. A 12 million year-old deposit has been discovered in Israel. It is the result of the mixing of oil shale and limestone. Although it’s hard to find, concrete does exist in the natural world.
The Pantheon is the World’s Largest Unenforced Concrete Structure
The ancient Romans were famous for their use of concrete. The Pantheon, built in 120 AD, remains the world’s largest unenforced concrete dome. There’s still nothing like it. You can visit the Pantheon today and see how well it’s holding up.
Roman Bridges Made 2,000 Years Ago Are Still Standing
Like we said, the ancient Romans knew how to use concrete. These bridges are not only still standing—they are being used by militia in spite of river erosion. They’ve survived the test of time.
Modern Concrete Was Invented By Joseph Aspdin
Although Joseph Aspdin was not the first to learn about concrete’s usefulness, he is credited with patenting modern concrete in Leeds in 1824. We owe him a great deal for our understanding of concrete.
Thomas Edison Was Passionate About Concrete
He was so passionate, in fact, that he filed 49 different patents related to concrete. These patents include ideas for concrete housing and furniture. Fortunately, the furniture did not become mainstream. Could you imagine sleeping on a concrete bed or pillow?
Some Companies Offer Scented Form Release Agents
For consumers seeking a more pleasant smell for their release agents, some companies are now offering delectable scents. If you want to savor the construction experience, you can choose from smell offerings such as bubblegum, cherry and citrus.
The Seattle Space Needle Was Constructed for the 1962 World’s Fair
This massive structure is as iconic as it is impressive. The Space Needle marks the largest continuous concrete pour in the United States. It was built stable enough to withstand earthquakes and is still going strong today.
Concrete has been around for a few millennia and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Given these interesting facts, it’s easy to see why concrete has been, and is still, a popular building material. Del Zotto Forms wants to help you build the next Pantheon or Space Needle. If you’d like more information about our steel forms and how they can be used with concrete, get in touch using our contact page or via social media.