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The construction of domes was greatly facilitated by the invention of concrete, a process which has been termed the Roman Architectural Revolution. [3] Their enormous dimensions remained unsurpassed until the introduction of structural steel frames in the late 19th century (see List of largest domes ).
These dimensions make more sense when expressed in ancient Roman units of measurement: The dome spans 150 Roman feet; the oculus is 30 Roman feet in diameter; the doorway is 40 Roman feet high. [58] The Pantheon still holds the record for the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. It is also substantially larger than earlier domes. [59]
The Pantheon in Rome is an example of Roman concrete construction. Caesarea harbour: an example of underwater Roman concrete technology on a large scale. Roman concrete, also called opus caementicium, was used in construction in ancient Rome. Like its modern equivalent, Roman concrete was based on a hydraulic-setting cement added to an aggregate.
At 43 meters (140 feet) in diameter, this historic half-sphere is still the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world, nearly 2,000 years after it was made.
Calcium is a binding agent in Roman concrete, which makes it remarkably strong. Figuring out where it came from was the key to solving this architectural mystery.
The Roman architectural revolution, also known as the "concrete revolution", [4] [5] [6] was the widespread use in Roman architecture of the previously little-used architectural forms of the arch, vault, and dome. For the first time in history, their potential was fully exploited in the construction of a wide range of civil engineering ...
Starting around 200 BCE, the architects of the Roman Empire were building impressive concrete structures that have stood the test of time — from the soaring dome of the Pantheon to the sturdy ...
The building, actually a concrete frigidarium pool for a bath, dates to either the late Roman Republic, [35] or the reign of the first emperor Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD), making it the first large Roman dome. There are five openings in the dome: a circular oculus and four square skylights. [25]