For my Science project on Monday, I learned about different building materials. To do that, I build two slabs of plaster. One was just plaster, and the other had wire running through it, in a crisscross pattern. The wire would supposedly make the plaster much stronger, with the ability to flex without breaking. You can see a picture of reinforced concrete below.
You can see the iron bars lacing through the cement.
After I had made the two plaster blocks, I set them up like a bridge in between two containers. Next, I set a cup on top of the unreinforced plaster. I then filled it up with water, a cup at a time. Once I had filled the cup with 5 and 1/2 cups, the plaster shattered, making a huge mess. After I had cleaned that up, I put the reinforced plaster block over the same spot. The reinforced plaster took over 7 cups of water, and a several pound piece of slate before it finally broke. This experiment showed how the strength of a material can be greatly improved by lacing it with wire, or a similar material. This technique was invented by Joseph Monier, who origionally invented it to improve the strength of his garden beds and pipes.
You can see some videos and pictures of the experiment below.
