1756
John Smeaton, British Engineer, rediscovered hydraulic cement through
repeated testing of mortar in both fresh and salt water
1779
Bry Higgins was issued a patent for hydraulic cement (stucco) for
exterior plastering use.
1796
James Parker from England patented a natural hydraulic cement by
calcining nodules of impure limestone containing clay, called Parker’s
Cement or Roman Cement.
1812 -1813
Louis Vicat of France prepared artificial hydraulic lime by calcining
synthetic mixtures of limestone and clay.
1818
Maurice St. Leger was issued patents for hydraulic cement.
1818
Canvass White, American Engineer, found rock deposits in Madison,
County, New York, that made hydraulic cement with little processing
1820-1821
John Tickell and Abraham Chambers were issued more hydraulic cement
patents.
1822
James Frost of England prepared artificial hydraulic lime like Vicat’s
and called it British Cement.
1824
Joseph Aspdin, bricklayer and mason in Leeds, England, patented what
he called portland cement, since it resembled the stone quarried on
the Isle of Portland off the British coast.
1825
Erie Canal created the first great demand for cement in the US
1828
I. K. Brunel is credited with the first engineering application of
portland cement, which was used to fill a breach in the Thames Tunnel.
1850s
Jean-Louis Lambot was the first to use reinforcing in boats
1854
William B. Wilkinson erected a reinforced concrete servants cottage
1859-1867
Portland cement used in the construction of the London sewer system
1867
Joseph Monier patented a design for reinforces garden tubs, beams and
posts
1868
The fist recorded shipment of portland cement to the US
1850-1880
Francois Coignet, a builder in France, responsible for the first
widespread use of concrete in buildings
1871
David O. Saylor established the first portland-cement plant in the US
in Coplay, PA
1871-1875
William E. Ward builds the first landmark building in reinforced
concrete in Port Chester, NY. Designed by Architect Robert Mook
1883
Ward delivered a paper on the house to the Society of Mechanical
Engineers.
1884
Earnest L. Ransom patented a reinforcing system using twisted rods.
1885
F. Ransome patented a slightly tilted horizontal kiln which could be
rotated so the material moved gradually form one end to the other
1887
Henri Le Chatelier of France established oxide ratios to prepare the
proper amount of lime to produce portland cement. He named the
components: Alite (tricalcium silicate), Belite (dicalcium silicate),
and Celite (tetracalcium aluminoferrite). He proposed that hardening
is caused by the formation of crystalline products of the reaction
between cement and water.
1889
The first concrete reinforced bridge is built.
1891
George Bartholomew placed the first concrete street in the USA in
Bellefontaine, OH. which still exists.
1904
Ingalls bldg. using the Ransome system, was the first concrete
skyscraper.
1870s
Francois Hennebique patented the Hennebique system. He was responsible
for the widespread acceptance of reinforced concrete.
1902
Thomas Edison was a pioneer in the further development of the rotary
kiln.
1903
August Perre makes concrete an acceptable architectural material
Perre builds 25 bis Rue Franklin and the Theatre Champs Elysee
1904
Ingalls building, probably the beginning of high-rise concrete const.
1916
founded
1917
The US Bureau of Standards and the American Society for testing
Materials established a standard formula for portland cement
1919
Meis van der Rohe proposes concrete high-rises
1922
The tallest concrete building was built – 230 ft., the Medical Arts
bldg., Dallas
1922
Notre Dame du Raincy
1927
Eugene Freyssinet develops successful pre-stressed concrete
1930
Eduardo Torroja, designed the first thin shelled roof at Algeciras
1935
Eduardo Torroja, designed the Madrid Hippodrome.
1936
The first major concrete dams,
made of reinforced concrete
1957
Le Corbusier builds Ronchamp
1958
Felix Candela masters the concrete shell
1958
Felix Candela builds the restaurant at Xochimilco
1958
Executive House Hotel, Chicago, exceeds the Medical Arts record at 371
ft.
1959
Le Corbusier builds La Tourette
1960
Bank of Georgia Building in Atlanta beats Executive House at 391 ft.
1961
Le Corbusier builds the government complex at Chandigara India
1962
Bertrand Goldberg’s twin towers at Marina City marked the
beginning of the use of reinforced concrete in modern skyscrapers and
set the height record to 588 ft.
1964
1000 Lake Shore Drive beats Marina City at 640 ft. 6000 psi concrete
in the lower columns was used for the first time.
1964
Place Victoria in Montreal, ht 624 ft. using 6000psi concrete columns
1967
First concrete domed sport structure, the Assembly Hall, was
constructed at The University of Illinois, at Urbana-Champaign.
1968
Lake Point Towers, 70 stories, 645 ft. 7500 psi concrete
1970
One Shell Plaza, Houston, ht 714 ft., using 6000 psi concrete
1970s
Fiber reinforcement in concrete was introduced.
1975
Water Tower Place, 859 ft., 9000psi conc. using superplasticizers
1985
Peak shipment of portland cement to the US increased to nearly 3
million barrels
1985
The "highest strength" concrete was used in building the Union Plaza
constructed in Seattle, Washington.
1989
Scotia Plaza Building, Toronto, 907 ft.
1990
311S Wacker and Two Prudential Plaza in Chicago sets new height record
at 920 ft.
1996
Petronas Twin Towers, 1476 ft.
