Re: Scientist Says Concrete Was Used in Pyramids

In sci.archaeology message news:Xns9899CA1284EB8trolleyfan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
by David Johnson <trolleyfan_nospam@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> . . . :

firstname@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Florian) wrote in
news:1hqd3io.seic7y1ciyvlkN%firstname@xxxxxxxxxxxx:

David Johnson <trolleyfan_nospam@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Which of course makes using it rather than just real stone block
rather stupid and a waste of time and effort.

Why?

Have you in fact _not_ been reading what others have been posting? Or
are you just so wedded to this idea, that you refuse to let it sink
through?

So, why:

1) Probably 95% of the (physcial) effort involved in building the
pyramid is moving the material around. Two-and-a-half ton blocks or
two-and-a-half tons of "concrete" mix, it doesn't matter - it takes the
same effort. Unfortunately for "concrete", you not only have to move the
"mix", but the water to mix it as well - around 15-20% of freshly mixed
concrete is water. That means for every two-and-a-half tons of mix you
now have to _also_ move half a ton of water.

Or, IOW, you've just increased the amount of material needed to be moved
by 20% or so. When that's all being moved by man-power without so much
as a wheelbarrow, this is _so_ less than good.

2) If you had been reading the past posts to you on the subject, you
would know by now that the limestone doesn't just "dissolve" in water
(or "disaggregate" or dis-anything else - it just gets wet). That means
you have to go in there and break it up by hand.

And breaking up two-and-a-half tons of limestone into little
concretable-sized bits is a _lot_ more work than simply splitting out
single two-and-a-half ton blocks. A _lot_ more work. Oh, it isn't
anywhere near as _precision_ work - but it's still work.

3) And after having put all the work into making your mix, and hauling
water, and mixing it up, and making a mold, and pouring the mold, and
waiting four hours or whatever for it to set up, the _result_ is a block
that could have been made the same way as all the _other_ limestone
blocks in the pyramid! That's right! You've probably doubled or tripled
the effort require to make a block and are left with a block with _no_
advantages over one simply cut out of stone...by stonemasons who have
had a couple of million blocks to get _really_ good at it.

I won't say they could cut out a block faster than it would take yours
to dry...but I wouldn't bet against it, either.*

So, like I said - a stupid waste of time and effort for no benefit.

David

* A _very_ rough calculation shows them cutting 20-30 blocks an _hour_.
How many individual groups each cutting out a block this is, I don't know
- but if it's under 80 or so...yes, they can cut a block faster than
yours can dry.

They can cut them off site, not interfering with each other and
then amassing them quickly in the structure. Whereas pouring
80 blocks at a time on site would create complete chaos.
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Scientist Says Concrete Was Used in Pyramids
    ... now have to _also_ move half a ton of water. ... If you had been reading the past posts to you on the subject, ... like I said - a stupid waste of time and effort for no benefit. ...
    (sci.archaeology)
  • Re: Heads on small boats
    ... Type One MSDs are treatment systems that reduce bacteria and ... You are correct regarding untreated waste. ... to say that it was illegal for Type I or II to discharge even treated ... untreated waste into the water systems in inland lakes. ...
    (rec.boats)
  • Re: Best Books on Hydrogen Future Possibilities
    ... shift reaction of water with carbon to form hydrogen. ... In the higher carbon alkanes more of the hydrogen comes from the water ... agree that for bulk energy storage applications, ... Please consider the tremendous value each ton of carbon burning is ...
    (sci.energy.hydrogen)
  • Re: QFTCI 03-19 R4,6: ecodisasters, NHL records
    ... will be a serious *cooling* of the climate in Europe. ... Sewage was put in a drinking water tank by mistake ... It began about 2,000,000,000 years ago when a new waste material ... and the sea has been shrinking ever since. ...
    (rec.games.trivia)
  • Dhaka Reeking Of Toxic Stink ..... ..... Re: Mandia Bedi - Ugly indian hindoo woman with p
    ... Casting a grim look at the black and stinky liquid waste flow in the ... narrow Devdholai river, Afazuddin Mia, a resident of Nasirabad village ... the water is so toxic that even a snake would not dare to cross it. ...
    (soc.culture.bangladesh)