ScienceAugust 16, 2026
clasts
KLASTS
Definition
Individual fragments or grains of rock or mineral materials that are embedded within a larger matrix of sedimentary rock or concrete.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek word 'klastos,' meaning 'broken,' which entered scientific English through geology to describe the components of sedimentary rocks.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe fragments of unreacted lime embedded within Roman concrete, which act as a reservoir for chemical reactions that help seal cracks over time.
Roman concrete piers built two thousand years ago along the Mediterranean coast are stronger now than the day they were poured, because seawater seeping into the volcanic ash mix triggers the slow growth of a rare crystal called aluminous tobermorite tha
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