Craft · 6 pages · 12 min

Why Portland cement changed masonry

Portland cement gave masonry a fast, hard hydraulic joint and helped push building toward concrete.

I understand the following: I can download a file of this brief, and I can also read it in the library on this browser. Clearing the cache or cookies deletes the library copy. The file must be downloaded for access to be retained.

When the purchase is complete, return to the original window. It will refresh.

From the opening

Portland cement is a hydraulic binder made by burning limestone and clay together and grinding the clinker, so it sets by reacting with water rather than by slowly absorbing carbon dioxide. Masonry built with it gained joints that hardened quickly, reached high strength, and no longer had to stay as soft as lime. The opening covers a hydraulic set, not carbonation, faster lays and thinner joints, and hard mortar versus soft brick.

The rest of the brief — the later sections and the reading notes — opens after Stripe confirms payment.

Inside

A hydraulic set, not carbonation
Faster lays and thinner joints
Hard mortar versus soft brick
The path into cast concrete
Where the idea stops applying
A distinction worth keeping

Sources

Aspdin patent for Portland cement
Hydraulic set versus lime carbonation

06The short physics of sourdoughCraft24 min$12 14How a library decides what to keepCraft24 min$12 0510How paper is made from fiberCraft12 min$20

Why Portland cement changed masonry

From the opening

Inside

Sources

Also on the desk