The asteroid belt is nothing but tourist traps, and the rest stops really thin out after Saturn. Some of you will want to consider flying. Luckily, at a Boeing 777's maximum velocity of 590 miles per hour, the trip to Pluto will take only about 680 years.
Yet structures like the Pantheon and the Colosseum have survived for centuries, often with little to no maintenance. Geologists, archaeologists and engineers are studying the properties of ancient Roman concrete to solve the mystery of its longevity. âRoman concrete is . . . considerably weaker than modern concretes. Itâs approximately ten times weaker,â says Renato Perucchio, a mechanical engineer at the University of Rochester in New York.
How Concrete is Made. In its simplest form, concrete is a mixture of paste and aggregates, or rocks. The paste, composed of portland cement and water, coats the surface of the fine (small) and coarse (larger) aggregates.Through a chemical reaction called hydration, the paste hardens and gains strength to form the rock-like mass known as concrete.he paste, composed of portland cement and water, coats the surface of the fine (small) and coarse (larger) aggregates. Through a chemical reaction called hydration, the paste hardens and gains strength to form the rock-like mass known as concrete.