In the Interim (Spring 2008) Regarding Roadwork #2

First question: Why can't we use concrete to pour roads, or to cement together quarried stone or to form our own stone from our abundance of sand? Concrete, basic quicklime, has been around for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks used it, the Romans used it, people in Thailand and Vietnam probably used it. We're more familiar with the Eqyptians NOT using it, but they had the luxury of tens of thousands of disposable backs to break in service of the pharoah. Portland cement, the stuff we're used to, is a recent invention, but basic concrete, quicklime paste, is really old, and really durable. Using quarried stone and quicklime/cement, or concrete made of lime and sand, I think we could greatly speed up construction, lower costs, increase the number of unskilled laborers, and get a strong, hard road done in a relatively short amount of time. Also, in places where rainfall is low, a hard packed dirt road is just as good as a stone road. So, like any project, we would probably want to build different roads in different places. Wider stone close to our cities, gravel or brick roads further out, to hard packed dirt in the outlands.
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I do think that offering some kind of Homestead Act would help finance the labor of the road building project. Also, you can bond to raise funds (go into debt) and then expect to pay off the debt by increased tax revenues generated by increased amounts of trade, and/or by tolls on the road. As far as that goes, why don't we see if we can employ the dwarves to build the road in exchange for a lease on the roads, in which they get a toll from citizens who use the roads? That might work too.

There are some very good reasons why you cant use concrete to pour the roads.

1. I didn't think of it.

2. I thought of it earlier, but forgot about it.

3. Other.

As to the history of concrete... Per inventors.about.com

Concrete is a material used in building construction, consisting of a hard, chemically inert particulate substance, known as an aggregate (usually made from different types of sand and gravel), that is bonded together by cement and water.
The Assyrians and Babylonians used clay as the bonding substance or cement. The Egyptians used lime and gypsum cement. In 1756, British engineer, John Smeaton made the first modern concrete (hydraulic cement) by adding pebbles as a coarse aggregate and mixing powered brick into the cement. In 1824, English inventor, Joseph Aspdin invented Portland Cement, which has remained the dominant cement used in concrete production. Joseph Aspdin created the first true artificial cement by burning ground limestone and clay together. The burning process changed the chemical properties of the materials and Joseph Aspdin created a stronger cement than what using plain crushed limestone would produce.
The other major part of concrete besides the cement is the aggregate. Aggregates include sand, crushed stone, gravel, slag, ashes, burned shale, and burned clay. Fine aggregate (fine refers to the size of aggregate) is used in making concrete slabs and smooth surfaces. Coarse aggregate is used for massive structures or sections of cement.
Concrete that includes imbedded metal (usually steel) is called reinforced concrete or ferroconcrete. Reinforced concrete was invented (1849) by Joseph Monier, who received a patent in 1867. Joseph Monier was a Parisian gardener who made garden pots and tubs of concrete reinforced with an iron mesh. Reinforced concrete combines the tensile or bendable strength of metal and the compressional strength of concrete to withstand heavy loads. Joseph Monier exhibited his invention at the Paris Exposition of 1867. Besides his pots and tubs, Joseph Monier promoted reinforced concrete for use in railway ties, pipes, floors, arches, and bridges.

So there. Nyaaah.

Seriously, I'm really glad you brought this up. I have always thought that, technologically, you guys are somewhere between Ancient Egypt and the fall of Rome. WAY pre renaissance, but not exactly the dark ages either. Each country is a little different, but all of the human countries are WAY beyond the Assyrians and Babylonians. In the last roadwork posting I didn't go into too much detail, but just assumed that you realized Plan A was a stone road and the stone would be cemented together. Plan B was to use homemade bricks, but where I kept thinking "mud and clay" I never really said. I think that making concrete bricks works just as well and we need not change any of the numbers there. The mortar used to fasten them together would BE cement. Look back on your list of workers you have in town. I believe there is at least 1 limeburner. He would be the one to supply products to the stoneworkers guild and get paid from their profits, so he was not included in the calculation. I didn't want to go too deep, but I have always been under the assumption that you guys are using cement and concrete. As for pouring an entire road of concrete, I don't think THAT'S a very good idea. This is still low tech concrete here. It would crumble like peanut brittle with the constant heating and cooling of the sun and seasons. Segmented bricks and stones allow the road to breath somewhat and you get less (not none but less) breakage due to weathering.

Now, as to breaking up the road types... feel free to break up the numbers any way you want them. Just let me know where you want what kind of road and their lengths and I will calc the time and cost (or check your numbers if you want too) and then we will set up a table for determining upkeep. How much and how often, that sort of thing.

Now as for financing the road... I don't know about the homestead act. There are problems with giving some of your people land. I will explain this fully when I post about government and free trade market. As to bonding, feel free. That is just some more STUFF to do. You guys have scribes, they can make you paper money that is good for paying off debt.

As to dwarf labor. You will need to ask them. Dwarves aren't usually found outside of their kingdoms, but if you got them, they would run rings around YOUR masons!

I still want to stress Plan F, asking the school. Researching new spells can take around 1 week per level of new spell. If it works, then you may need to only bond one establishment rather than your population who will more than likely use any marker you give them to pay their next taxes. Also, if they can get some of that new oil everyone is chatting about... hmmm... how does a "Wheel of Road Creation" sound? But then again the school is busy and they cant do everything. We need to limit what the school can do for you while your out getting shit done. Lets say one thing for each area of research; potions, spells, items, history/lor. Let me know if you think of anything else.