Volcanic ash from the area of Pozzuoli, on the Bay of Naples was believed to be a key element that led to the unique durability of ancient structures and kept them standing as modern concrete crumbled to the ground. But a report released Friday discovered that it is not necessarily the ingredients that attributed to the strength of the Roman’s concrete but the mixing process. "The benefits of hot mixing are twofold," MIT professor of civil and environmental engineering Admir Masic told MIT News. Masic was first alerted to the concept after noticing millimeter-small bright white minerals in the ancient concrete. His team then ran a series of tests using modern and ancient techniques with and without quicklime.

Source: Fox News January 08, 2023 17:59 UTC