AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Within the general objectives of the course, the module deepens the knowledge of: constructive principles and technical rules, pathologies, decay phenomena and deficits of traditional load-bearing masonry buildings, as well as their energy behaviour and possible renovation and consolidation techniques.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The module aims to provide specialist knowledge to intervene on traditional masonry buildings with problems of deterioration, structural instability and performance deficits. This knowledge is also necessary to correctly set up any new intervention that interferes with existing structures.

At the end of the course, the student will be able to:

- understand the principles and constructive rules of historical building;

- recognize and correctly describe the forms of deterioration, instability and functional deficits affecting existing buildings;

- identify the multiples causes that caused them;

- know the more frequent techniques of maintenance, rehabilitation, consolidation, redevelopment and energy improvement of buildings and their component parts;

- apply the acquired knowledge to correctly set design problems.

TEACHING METHODS

The module is mainly organized into lectures, possibly integrated with external seminars, visits and inspections also in collaboration with other courses of the Master in Architecture  Course and of the Post-Graduate Course in Architectural Heritage and Landscape of the University of Genoa.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The lessons deal with the following basic topics:

1) Traditional constructions in load-bearing masonry based on local resources. Analysis of the structural conception, reading at the global scale. Identification of problems of deterioration and instability of the wall box. Setting the possible interventions.

2) Materials and construction techniques in load-bearing masonry buildings: Walls, floors, vaults, floors, stairs, roofing. Analysis of construction techniques and performance characteristics, reading of the prevailing phenomena of deterioration / instability and the related causes and consequences, examination of the related intervention techniques.

3) Energy efficiency in historic buildings: technical problems and architectural and landscape compatibility.

The examination of technical topics is framed within wider cultural horizons, even taking recent projects and achievements for example.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

P. Roca; P.B. Lourenco; A. Gaetani (2019).  Historic Construction and Conservation. Materials, Systems and Damage, Routledge. The book is available in the Polytechnic School Library. Study in particular:
Chapter 1 – Modern understanding of conservation and of heritage structures (all).
Chapter 3 – Construction materials and main structural elements (3.1, 3.2)
Chapter 4 – Vaulted structures in history and modern structural solutions (4.1, 4.2)
Chapter 5 – Ancient sizing rules and limit analysis of masonry arches (5.1)
Chapter 6 – Damage and collapse mechanisms in masonry buildings (6.1, 6.2)
Any other teaching materials in English will be made available in the aulaweb.
 

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

GIOVANNA FRANCO (President)

MARTA CASANOVA

STEFANO FRANCESCO MUSSO

FEDERICA POMPEJANO

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Waiting for the new schedule

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The evaluation of learning takes place with a final oral exam.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The oral examination allows to verify the ability to analyze and understand the pathologies and problems of degradation and deficit that affect traditional masonry buildings, to correctly set up recovery projects. The oral presentation must be accompanied by simple graphic elaborations that help the student to correctly explain technical topics. Assessment criteria are: the ability to set a critical reasoning, the ownership of the technical vocabulary, the quality of exposure of the topics covered.

Exam schedule