History of construction

Man has constructed buildings and other structures since prehistory. The technology and economy of construction work has changed throughout history.

• Ancient construction

As cities formed, professional crafts like masonry, metalworking and woodworking emerged. Simple machines like levers and pulleys came into use, as well as nails. Arches, vaults and domes were used to create spans. In ancient Rome, concrete was invented. Occasionally, slaves were used as workforce, but not as often as depicted in popular culture (for instance, the Egyptian pyramids were built by free men). Some construction works were done as corvée.

• Medieval construction

In the Middle Ages of Europe, cathedrals were the greatest construction projects. Craftsmen became organized in guilds. The pile driver was invented around 1500.

• Industrial construction

The industrial revolution was manifested in new kinds of transportation installations, such as railways, canals and macadam roads. These required large amounts of investment. New construction devices included steam engines, machine tools, explosives and optical surveying.

As steel was mass-produced from the mid-19th century, it was used, in form of I-beams and reinforced concrete. Glass panes also went into mass production, and changed from luxury to every man's property.

With the second industrial revolution in the early 20th century, elevators and cranes made high rise buildings and skyscrapers possible, while engineering vehicles and power tools decreased the workforce needed. Other new technologies were prefabrication and computer-aided design.

Trade unions were formed to protect construction workers' interest. Personal protective equipment such as hard hats and earmuffs also came into use.

From the 20th century, governmental construction projects were used as a part of macroeconomic stimulation policies, especially during the Great depression (see New Deal).

In the end of the 20th century, ecology, energy conservation and sustainable development have become more important issues of construction.

from : WIKIPEDIA