VOA科学技术2023 研究人员发现罗马混凝土强度的原因

Researchers Find Reason for Roman Concrete’s Strength

研究人员发现罗马混凝土强度的原因

Researchers have wanted to know for years why the buildings made by the ancient Romans held up so well.

多年来，研究人员一直想知道为什么古罗马人建造的建筑能如此坚固。

A new study finds that their concrete, a strong building material, had special characteristics.

一项新的研究发现，他们的混凝土，一种坚固的建筑材料，具有特殊的特性。

Researchers say the materials in the concrete worked together to make it stronger.

研究人员表示，混凝土中的材料共同作用，使其更加坚固。

The three main parts were lime¹, volcanic² ash and water. Lime is a powdery substance that comes from heating limestone³.

三个主要部分是石灰、火山灰和水。石灰是一种来自加热石灰石的粉状物质。

Admir Masic is a civil and environmental engineering professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who led the study and published the results in Science Advances. He said the way the Romans started using lime over 2000 years ago gave the concrete "self-healing" properties.

Admiral Masic是麻省理工学院（MIT）的土木与环境工程教授，他领导了这项研究，并将结果发表在《科学进展》上。他说，2000多年前罗马人开始使用石灰的方式赋予了混凝土“自我修复”的财产。

He said the discovery will help current builders improve their concrete "through a Roman-inspired strategy." Masic is working to make a new building product based on the Roman concrete and is hoping to sell it through a new business he started.

他表示，这一发现将帮助目前的建筑商“通过罗马式的策略”改进混凝土。马西奇正在努力制造一种基于罗马式混凝土的新建筑产品，并希望通过他开创的新业务来销售。

Masic and his researchers wanted to know why the Roman structures lasted so long when even some modern concrete crumbles⁵ after only a few years.

马西奇和他的研究人员想知道，为什么罗马建筑能持续这么长时间，甚至一些现代混凝土在几年后就坍塌了。

In addition, the Roman concrete was good for use underwater. This quality helped the Romans build harbors and other structures that could hold back the ocean.

此外，罗马混凝土很适合在水下使用。这种质量帮助罗马人建造了港口和其他可以阻挡海洋的结构。

The researchers said some small bits of lime that were not well mixed into the concrete were not a mistake as was thought earlier. The pieces of lime are called clasts. The new study called the clasts "instrumental⁶."

研究人员表示，一些没有很好地混合到混凝土中的少量石灰并不像之前认为的那样是错误的。石灰块称为碎屑。新的研究称这些碎屑为“工具性的”

Masic said the small pieces of lime keep the concrete from falling apart when it cracks. In most cases, a crack in concrete permits water to enter and the crack widens. But, in the Roman concrete, the small bits of lime would dissolve and send small pieces of calcium⁷ into the cracks. That action, Masic said, repaired the cracks. In addition, he noted⁸, the calcium mixed with the volcanic ash to create a stronger structure.

马西奇说，这些小块石灰可以防止混凝土开裂时脱落。在大多数情况下，混凝土中的裂缝允许水进入，裂缝变宽。但是，在罗马混凝土中，少量的石灰会溶解，并将小块的钙送入裂缝。马西奇说，这一行动修复了裂缝。此外，他指出，钙与火山灰混合，形成了更强的结构。

Both the Pantheon and the Colosseum are examples of buildings that are almost 2000 years old that used the ancient concrete and are still standing⁹ today.

万神殿和斗兽场都是近2000年历史的建筑的例子，这些建筑使用了古老的混凝土，至今仍然屹立不倒。

In the past, researchers thought the important material was volcanic ash that came from the area of Pozzuoli, near Naples.

过去，研究人员认为重要的物质是来自那不勒斯附近波佐利地区的火山灰。

Linda Seymour helped write the study when she was studying at MIT. She called the ancient Romans "great engineers." She added: "The fact that we can still walk around many of their structures is a testament¹⁰ to that."

琳达·西摩（Linda Seymour）在麻省理工学院学习时帮助撰写了这项研究。她称古罗马人为“伟大的工程师”。她补充道：“我们仍然可以在他们的许多建筑周围行走，这一事实证明了这一点。”

Words in This Story

characteristic –n. something special that makes an item different from others

property –n. a special quality of something

inspired –adj. used to describe something that has an influence on something else

strategy –n. a careful plan or method for achieving a particular goal usually over a long period of time

crumble⁴ –v. to break into small pieces

bit –n. a small part of something larger

dissolve –v. to wear away under the pressure of water

testament –n. proof that something is true or exists

1 lime   

n.石灰，酸橙，酸橙树，粘鸟胶，钙；vt.施石灰，涂上粘性物质，沾上粘鸟胶

参考例句：

• Lime exists in many soils.许多土壤中都含有石灰。
• A broad avenue of lime trees led up to a grand entrance with huge oak doors.一条栽有酸橙树的宽阔林阴道通向巨大的橡木门的雄伟入口。

2 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

3 limestone   

n.石灰石

参考例句：

• Limestone is often used in building construction.石灰岩常用于建筑。
• Cement is made from limestone.水泥是由石灰石制成的。

4 crumble   

vi.碎裂，崩溃；vt.弄碎，摧毁

参考例句：

• Opposition more or less crumbled away.反对势力差不多都瓦解了。
• Even if the seas go dry and rocks crumble,my will will remain firm.纵然海枯石烂，意志永不动摇。

5 crumbles   

酥皮水果甜点( crumble的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This cake crumbles too easily. 这种蛋糕太容易碎了。
• This bread crumbles ever so easily. 这种面包非常容易碎。

6 instrumental   

adj.仪器的，器械的，乐器的，起作用的，有帮助的

参考例句：

• It is an instrumental work.这是一部可以用乐器演奏的作品。
• He was instrumental in catching the criminal.在捉拿那个罪犯的过程中，他起了作用。

7 calcium   

n.钙(化学符号Ca)

参考例句：

• We need calcium to make bones.我们需要钙来壮骨。
• Calcium is found most abundantly in milk.奶含钙最丰富。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

10 testament   

n.遗嘱；证明

参考例句：

• This is his last will and testament.这是他的遗愿和遗嘱。
• It is a testament to the power of political mythology.这说明，编造政治神话可以产生多大的威力。