Researchers have unlocked the chemistry of Roman concrete which has resisted the elements for thousands of years.
Ancient sea walls built by the Romans used a concrete made from lime and volcanic ash to bind with rocks.
Now scientists have discovered that elements within the volcanic material reacted with sea water to strengthen the construction.
[...] This new study says the scientists found significant amounts of tobermorite growing through the fabric of the concrete, with a related, porous mineral called phillipsite.
The researchers say that the long-term exposure to sea water helped these crystals to keep on growing over time, reinforcing the concrete and preventing cracks from developing.
Source: BBC News
American Mineralogist DOI: 10.2138/am-2017-5993CCBY
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Thursday July 06 2017, @12:38AM
The solution is likely some material that won't serve as a conduit for moisture. Maybe some Teflon impregnated carbon fiber will do it?