Science of brick
Megastructures
National Geographic
Season 2006
Episode 14
Brick is the first construction material that human’s ever used. 9000 year ago, brick was made of mud. Then clay was used as brick’s main element. Many famous architectures have been built from brick and stand still so far, for example Great Wall of China, Trajan’s market of Roman, and Digswell viaduct in England. Brick used to be the main constructional unit. Nowadays, brick is used to adorn the construction due to its aesthetic beauty. Although brick is anywhere, it has an intrinsic weakness: incapability to resist the lateral forces caused by earth quakes. Mortar is another disadvantage of brick wall. Can new technology tackle the deadly Achilles’s heel of brick? Let’s enjoy the movie to better understand brick’s history and future.
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(Movie copyright: National Geographic)
K.D.
