The paper presents the results of a survey on the earthen domes in the villages of Aleppo’s region (Syria). These buildings are made, spontaneously, in sun-dried bricks and give rise to residential complexes characterized by high habitability, sustainability, and, last but not least, by an absolute value due to remarkable architectural and construction technology. The main element that identifies these buildings is the dome covering, pseudo cone shaped, made of earthen bricks, arranged in slightly overhanging rows (growing in spiral), that rest on square cells. The building techniques, the geometry and structural solutions have been identified through a field survey and the subsequent creation of a scale model. This study reports the results of the investigations aimed at the chemical, physical and mechanical characterization of the materials and focused to understand the structural behavior. In particular samples of bricks and mortars (from masonry and from render) have been collected and analyzed at the laboratories of ICVBC CNR of Florence and at the Department of Construction and Restoration, University of Florence. The characterization of building materials was carried out through X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) for the determination of minerals composition and through calcimetry for the quantitative determination of calcite. The analytical data showed that the earth used to make the bricks has a marly-clay composition with a significant percentage of coarse-grained material. Therefore it is a lean earth of low cohesion, not optimal for the production of manufactured raw. The masonry mortars have a granulometry finer than the bricks because purified from the coarse fraction. The renders are differentiated by the strong addition of fibers (straw). In order to identify the main mechanical parameters, non destructive in situ tests (sclerometer) and mechanical laboratory tests have been performed. The scale model allowed a complete identification of the execution techniques and, through the simulation of foundation settlements, enabled to identify the problems related to constructive techniques. The achieved results enabled a thorough understanding of these artifacts, providing an essential support for any plan aimed at the conservation and promotion of this particular architectural heritage, which bear witness of far and poor building cultures, but nevertneless documenting an expressive quality of undoubted value and the capability to be in optimal relationship with the environment.

Earthen domes in the Aleppo region (Syria): materials and building techniques / F. Fratini; L. Rovero; U. Tonietti. - ELETTRONICO. - (2012), pp. 1-10. (Intervento presentato al convegno Domes in the World tenutosi a Florence, Italy nel March 2012).

Earthen domes in the Aleppo region (Syria): materials and building techniques

ROVERO, LUISA;TONIETTI, UGO
2012

Abstract

The paper presents the results of a survey on the earthen domes in the villages of Aleppo’s region (Syria). These buildings are made, spontaneously, in sun-dried bricks and give rise to residential complexes characterized by high habitability, sustainability, and, last but not least, by an absolute value due to remarkable architectural and construction technology. The main element that identifies these buildings is the dome covering, pseudo cone shaped, made of earthen bricks, arranged in slightly overhanging rows (growing in spiral), that rest on square cells. The building techniques, the geometry and structural solutions have been identified through a field survey and the subsequent creation of a scale model. This study reports the results of the investigations aimed at the chemical, physical and mechanical characterization of the materials and focused to understand the structural behavior. In particular samples of bricks and mortars (from masonry and from render) have been collected and analyzed at the laboratories of ICVBC CNR of Florence and at the Department of Construction and Restoration, University of Florence. The characterization of building materials was carried out through X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) for the determination of minerals composition and through calcimetry for the quantitative determination of calcite. The analytical data showed that the earth used to make the bricks has a marly-clay composition with a significant percentage of coarse-grained material. Therefore it is a lean earth of low cohesion, not optimal for the production of manufactured raw. The masonry mortars have a granulometry finer than the bricks because purified from the coarse fraction. The renders are differentiated by the strong addition of fibers (straw). In order to identify the main mechanical parameters, non destructive in situ tests (sclerometer) and mechanical laboratory tests have been performed. The scale model allowed a complete identification of the execution techniques and, through the simulation of foundation settlements, enabled to identify the problems related to constructive techniques. The achieved results enabled a thorough understanding of these artifacts, providing an essential support for any plan aimed at the conservation and promotion of this particular architectural heritage, which bear witness of far and poor building cultures, but nevertneless documenting an expressive quality of undoubted value and the capability to be in optimal relationship with the environment.
2012
Proceedings of the Congress Domes in the World
Domes in the World
Florence, Italy
March 2012
F. Fratini; L. Rovero; U. Tonietti
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Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/655448
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