Masonry is the art of building in stone, clay, brick and concrete blocks. Masonry originated when prehistoric man decided to increase his living space by building artificial caves out of stones. By 4000 BC, Egypt had taken the art to new levels peaking with the building of the Pyramids. Choice of materials used in building has always been determined by the geological formations and conditions of the area.
Before the arch, stone builders had problems spanning large distances because stone has a tendency to break under its own weight. They were forced to place the supporting pillars close together or erect wooden beams for support.
The invention of concrete by the Romans allowed more freedom in building structures. It also made building cheaper and faster. The cement was made from volcanic ash which was mixed with water, lime (from limestone, chalk or oyster shells) and stone pieces to make concrete. Cement mixed with sand was and still is used to make mortar for the joints between masonry blocks or bricks. Lime continued to be the primary cement making agent until the 1800s when an English inventor, Joseph Aspdin, developed Portland cement by mixing limestone and clay, and I.C. Johnson discovered that the resulting cement was greatly enhanced if the mixture was heated until it melted and fused together and was then ground into the powder we know as cement. Using concrete the Romans were able to improve on and increase the use of arches making them a basic construction form. They also were able to construct an engineering marvel, the Pantheon which has a concrete dome and brick arches.
Modern Time Masonry is valued because of its color, texture and look of permanence. It also has several other desirable qualities such as sound control and fire resistance (many building codes require using masonry in the construction of fire walls). Concrete blocks are also useful for building retaining walls and non-permanent foundations.
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