http://airminded.org/2008/04/03/rome-1b/ Airpower and British society, 1908-1941 Wed, 09 Jul 2008 01:49:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 http://airminded.org/2008/04/03/rome-1b/#comment-72915 Airminded · Rome 2a Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:13:38 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/04/03/rome-1b/#comment-72915 [...] my first day in Rome, I collapsed onto my bed in my little hotel room, watched Italian TV, and got a good [...] [...] my first day in Rome, I collapsed onto my bed in my little hotel room, watched Italian TV, and got a good [...]

]]> http://airminded.org/2008/04/03/rome-1b/#comment-72489 Brett Holman Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:48:26 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/04/03/rome-1b/#comment-72489 You're probably right -- I was a bit surprised by the mystery-mongering tone of the Wikipedia article. I did forget to mention, though, that it does point out that the Pantheon dome is unreinforced, which does make it more impressive. Google throws up <a href="http://www.romanconcrete.com/docs/chapt01/chapt01.htm" rel="nofollow">this</a>, which only suggests that there 'could' have been a catastrophic failure, not that there 'should' have been one. You’re probably right — I was a bit surprised by the mystery-mongering tone of the Wikipedia article. I did forget to mention, though, that it does point out that the Pantheon dome is unreinforced, which does make it more impressive. Google throws up this, which only suggests that there ‘could’ have been a catastrophic failure, not that there ’should’ have been one.

]]> http://airminded.org/2008/04/03/rome-1b/#comment-72410 Ian Evans Thu, 03 Apr 2008 17:03:51 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/04/03/rome-1b/#comment-72410 Can't agree with Wikipedia on Roman concrete, at least not as a universal principle. When in York I took part in several archaeological digs. On one we were excavating a section of the Roman wall, just off Lendal. The Victorians had built a terrace of shops over the top, with concrete foundations. While removing the "modern" accretions, one was immediately, sometimes quite painfully, aware of reaching the Roman substrate as the pick bounced back. Can’t agree with Wikipedia on Roman concrete, at least not as a universal principle. When in York I took part in several archaeological digs. On one we were excavating a section of the Roman wall, just off Lendal. The Victorians had built a terrace of shops over the top, with concrete foundations. While removing the “modern” accretions, one was immediately, sometimes quite painfully, aware of reaching the Roman substrate as the pick bounced back.

]]>