Why is the hoover dam so thick if the center won’t cure for 125 years?
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It’s more likely got to do with making the dam heavy enough so that it doesn’t topple under the force of the water behind it. Concrete is heavier, more consistent and easier to place than soil, so civil engineers often specify concrete when something heavy is needed to weigh down a structure and keep it in place.
In that context, it’s not always about achieving the maximum strength of concrete. For example, they could’ve designed the dam taking into account the concrete at the centre would only achieve a limited strength. Anything beyond that is extra. The weight however, it’ll weigh as much whether its fully cured or not.
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