Tianjin Cement Factory, the huge cement furnace stands on the ground, like a giant.
Inside the cement factory, workers wearing uniforms with short hair, shaved beards and masks are busy.
Cement is very common in later generations and is the most important construction material. Whether it is building bridges and paving roads or building houses and tiles, cement is an indispensable thing. For a long time, the output of cement was even equal to that of steel.
Output has also become an indicator of a country's industrial capabilities.
Naturally, Liu Jin would not let go of such an artifact.
Liu Jin originally wanted to get the cement out when he was in the capital, but the time was too short, and there were so many things to do in Xishan, and later on he had to get out the glass and mirrors, so there was no time at all.
Now when it comes to Tianjin, Tianjin needs to build huge ports and wharves, as well as many factories and employee dormitories. Next, it needs to build cement roads leading to the capital. These are large-scale infrastructures. Without cement, it will be impossible.
It's not possible.
Therefore, Liu Jin also invested a huge amount of money, and the priority was to bake the cement first. With cement, it would be much easier to build infrastructure.
Otherwise, in the era before cement, the adhesive used to build walls was glutinous rice juice, which was very wasteful of material and financial resources, and more importantly, the speed was too slow.
Bricks in ancient times were all blue bricks. The firing of green bricks was extremely difficult, the output was extremely low, and it was time-consuming and labor-intensive. Generally, only rich people could afford them. Ordinary people mostly used mud to build their houses.
First, the soil is continuously trampled by manpower or cattle and sheep, etc., and then poured into small squares. After exposure to the sun, the water inside evaporates and turns into adobe bricks, which is extremely labor-intensive and time-consuming.
And you need to specifically choose a time when there is good weather, otherwise if it rains, the adobe bricks will be directly destroyed by the rain.
Therefore, the roof tiles of this adobe house need to be inspected every year. Once there is a leak, it must be repaired in time. Otherwise, the adobe house will fall down soon if it is soaked by rainwater.
If you want to carry out large-scale infrastructure construction, cement is definitely indispensable.
Fortunately, the firing of cement is not too difficult. The required raw materials such as lime water, clay, iron ore, coal, etc. are very common and can be found basically everywhere in the country.
Liu Jin has also mastered the firing method. After arriving in Tianjin, he immediately started building a furnace for firing cement. After this period of construction, the first furnace of cement was finally fired.
"Old Liu, you are so mysterious, what good things do you have?"
After the cement was fired, Liu Jin naturally wanted to bring Zhu Houzhao over to see it. After all, such an artifact as cement was so important to the Ming Dynasty.
With cement, whether it is used to build city walls in border towns or build bridges and pave roads, it is an absolute artifact.
The city wall in this town has been built high, and it will not be so easy for the nomads in the north to go south. The roads have been built, and it is very convenient whether it is used to transport food, materials, or to mobilize troops. In the words of later generations,
It is said that if you want to be rich, build roads first. This is what they say.
When Zhu Houzhao heard Liu Jin say that there were good things, he followed him with great interest, wanting to see for himself what good things Liu Jin was talking about.
"Your Highness, you will know later."
Liu Jin still kept his secrets, pointing to the cement-burning blast furnace with a hint of mystery: "As long as the things inside come out, our Ming Dynasty will no longer have to worry about building roads and building cities from now on."
"This is an artifact!"
"Artifact?"
Zhu Houzhao listened to Liu Jin's arrogant words and said with curiosity: "Building roads? Building cities?"
He was completely confused. He really couldn't figure out what kind of artifact the thing in the blast furnace in front of him could make Ming Dynasty no longer have to worry about building roads and building cities.
"Let's turn on the stove~"
This first furnace of cement was specially made by Liu Jin to wait until he and Zhu Houzhao arrived before starting the furnace.
Liu Jin and Zhu Houzhao came over, and Sun Xin, the general manager of the cement plant, also very smartly grasped the time and ordered the furnace to be started.
Soon, workers at a cement factory began to open the sealed cement furnace and began to pick out loads of cement. One of them came to Liu Jin and Zhu Houzhao carrying a load of cement.
"That's it?"
"Is it an artifact?"
Zhu Houzhao looked at the gray cement in front of him. No matter how he looked at it, it seemed to have no connection with the artifact. It had nothing strange about it, and it had nothing eye-catching about it. It was just like a pile of plant ash.
Liu Jin grabbed a handful of cement and observed it carefully. It was similar to the cement he had packed away, but Liu Jin could feel the obvious graininess.
"It seems that the most difficult part of cement firing is the initial grinding process. Whether it is limestone, iron ore, coal, etc., it needs to be ground into powder. The finer the better. Now it has a grainy feel, and it is obviously still
It’s not adequate.”
I carefully analyzed in my mind that limestone and iron ore are the most difficult to grind, and I was also thinking about whether to build a hydraulic grinding machine in the future, otherwise it would be difficult to produce cement comparable to later generations.
"Your Highness, although this thing is gray and unremarkable, it is the most suitable thing to be used as a construction adhesive. With it, no matter how high the city wall or the tallest building is, it will not be a problem.
.”
Liu Jin patted the cement on his hands and said to Zhu Houzhao with a smile.
"He's a construction adhesive?"
When Zhu Houzhao heard this, he narrowed his eyes slightly and grabbed a handful of cement. He looked at it carefully, but he quickly clapped his hands and found nothing.
"We'll find out after we try it."
Liu Jin smiled, very confident, and then glanced at Sun Xin. He understood immediately and had already prepared everything according to Liu Jin's requirements.
Soon, more than a dozen workers from the cement factory came over carrying sand and gravel, stacked the sand and gravel into a pile, then added cement to it, stirred it evenly, then added water, and continued to turn it over with shovels.
Stir it evenly and it will soon turn into cement slurry.
After the cement slurry is prepared, workers in these cement plants also choose a section of the bumpy road in the cement factory, use formwork to support the frame, continuously pour cement slurry into it, and then smooth it.
In less than half an hour, a cement road more than ten meters long and seven or eight meters wide was paved, very quickly and efficiently.
"It's so soft that I can make a big footprint with just one foot. What's the use of it?"
Zhu Hou looked after the road was paved and immediately stepped on it. Wanting to give it a try, he stepped on it and immediately made a deep footprint.
