Question

concrete is an old material that was known and used by the romans to build structures like the colosseum, but the material tends to be brittle. what was done to prevent this issue in the late 19th century?

multiple choice

plastic was added to the mixture.
it was reinforced with stone lintels.
fabric was used to make it more flexible.
glue was added to the mixture.
it was reinforced with steel.

Explanation:

Identify the structural limitation of concrete

Using the Structural Engineering in Art knowledge point
Concrete has excellent compressive strength but is highly brittle and weak under tension (tensile stress).

Analyze late 19th-century innovations

Using the Architectural Terminology knowledge point
In the late 19th century, builders began embedding steel bars (rebar) inside concrete to create reinforced concrete, combining the compressive strength of concrete with the tensile strength of steel.

Evaluate the given options

• Plastic: Not used or widely available in the late 19th century.
• Stone lintels: Used in ancient post-and-beam structures, not a late 19th-century solution for concrete brittleness.
• Fabric: Does not provide the structural rigidity or tensile reinforcement needed for large buildings.
• Glue: Does not address the fundamental tensile weakness of large-scale concrete structures.
• Steel: Steel reinforcement (reinforced concrete or béton armé) was patented and popularized in the late 19th century.

Answer:

• Plastic was added to the mixture.
• It was reinforced with stone lintels.
• Fabric was used to make it more flexible.
• Glue was added to the mixture.
• It was reinforced with steel. (Correct answer)