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The Romans also developed systems for water supply (through aqueducts, public water fountains and baths) and waste removal (pipes to dump the waste into rivers). But these were not as sophisticated as those developed by the Indus Valley Civilization (see the article on The River Valley Civilizations) Stone and Masonry Construction Stone construction in the Roman world was a carryover of the techniques used by the Greeks. Stone arches of large spans (22-30 meters) were used extensively in the construction of aqueducts. But in buildings, stone domes and vaults usually spanned only 4-9 meters. This type of stone construction required sophisticated timber form work to support it during construction as well as advanced lifting mechanisms to raise the stone pieces. Many of the Roman stone buildings became models for medieval European construction. Obtain an understanding of the "Anatomy of the Roman Arch" by clicking on this link. Although stone construction did display some spectacular examples in the Roman world, it soon gave way to construction using brick. Brick was preferred for its economy (being mass-produced). Also, the workmen required for brick construction needed to be less skilled than those for stone construction. Whereas stone construction required lifting mechanisms, brick was easy to assemble. Brick arches were used extensively to avoid the use of heavy stone lintels. The Romans understood the concept of the true arch and used it to its full extent. The mortar used until the 2nd Century B.C. was lime mortar, constituted of lime, sand and water. The best known example of brick technology developed by the Romans is the Hagia Sophia, with its brick dome spanning 32.6 m (107 ft). Read in detail about the Roman units of measurements and various uses of brick in their buildings. A must-see site. |
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