Scientists are trying to understand how some ancient buildings have lasted for centuries in hopes of making modern buildings more durable.
The Hieroglyphic Stairway ascends at the Acropolis of Copan, an ancient Maya site in western Honduras, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023. The 20 meter-high staircase is carved with more than 2000 glyphs. Stela B stands on the western side at the great plaza of Copan, an ancient Maya site in western Honduras, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023. The Ball Court at the Acropolis of Copan, an ancient Maya site in western Honduras, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023.
This reverse engineering has turned up a surprising list of ingredients that were mixed into old buildings — materials such as tree bark, volcanic ash, rice, beer and even urine. These unexpected add-ins could be key some pretty impressive properties, like the ability to get stronger over time and “heal” cracks when they form.
Most modern concrete starts with Portland cement, a powder made by heating limestone and clay to super-high temperatures and grinding them up. That cement is mixed with water to create a chemically reactive paste. Then, chunks of material like rock and gravel are added, and the cement paste binds them into a concrete mass.
The ability to keep adapting over time “is truly the genius of the material,” Jackson said. “The concrete was so well designed that it sustains itself.”At Copan, a Maya site in Honduras, intricate lime sculptures and temples remain intact even after more than 1,000 years exposed to a hot, humid environment.
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