Search Results (10)

Thin-tile vaults, characterized by a wide variety of geometric configurations, represent an important part of the architectural heritage in Southern Italy. Many of these structures are still in serviceable condition. However, the absence of dedicated design guidelines and the need to comply with modern safety and serviceability requirements make their assessment and conservation a challenging task. The present study contributes to a more informed and responsible approach to these historic systems by addressing current normative limitations and by clarifying the structural role of construction elements such as counter-vaults and stiffening ribs. The research focuses on a representative case study located in Sicily, where this technique was extensively used from the late eighteenth century. The investigation combines direct on-site surveys, laboratory characterization of collected material samples, and numerical analysis based on finite-element elastic modeling. The results show that the traditional building knowledge, commonly described as the art of good manufacturing and transmitted through long-standing craftsmanship, produced a construction technique that still fulfills its structural function with remarkable effectiveness. Full article

After the Spanish Civil War, the shortage of building materials in the country and the restrictions imposed by the Dirección General de Arquitectura limited the use of steel in construction, encouraging solutions that reduced the consumption of this material. In this context, the thin-tile vault gained new relevance due to its low cost, speed of execution and good structural and fire performance. Among the architects who revisited this system, Ignasi Bosch Reitg (1910–1985) developed an innovative procedure for the construction of continuous ceilings, based on double-curved vaults with a single layer of brick. His cousin, Josep Maria Bosch Aymerich (1917–2015), an industrial engineer and architect trained in the United States, brought a business vision to the table when he discovered the potential of this system. This paper proposes an in-depth study of the patents requested on this system by the two architects, questioning the reasons for their success or failure in different countries, both in terms of dissemination and exploitation, in regard to the historical context in which it was developed. The analysis, based on original documents from the Bosch Aymerich Archive, uncovers the tensions that the reinterpretation and global projection of a traditional technique can generate. Full article

The structural behavior of tile vaults remains challenging to evaluate accurately through numerical models, due to their geometry, the heterogeneity of its mechanical properties, and its boundary conditions. This study presents an experimental investigation carried out as part of a teaching innovation project aimed at deepening the understanding of masonry behavior through hands-on construction and collapse testing. Scaled vaults were built using traditional methods, employing thin bricks and fast-setting gypsum, materials typically selected for their accessibility and compatibility with heritage-inspired craftsmanship. The models were incrementally loaded until failure, enabling direct observation of collapse mechanisms. Plastic limit analysis was used to estimate structural capacity, with a focus on verifying the compatibility conditions of hinge formation. The vaults were documented using photogrammetric reconstruction (Structure-from-Motion) to generate accurate 3D models, and the evolution of collapse mechanisms was analyzed through digital motion tracking of observed hinges. Experimental loading reached values up to 4 kN/m² without collapse, confirming that even thin-tile vaults exhibit considerable reserve capacity. While these values should be understood as conservative lower-bound estimates due to the workshop conditions, results also highlight the significant influence of construction imperfections and boundary conditions. This work reinforces the educational value of physical experimentation and offers empirical insights into tile masonry behavior that cannot be captured through purely digital or parametric models. Full article

Current regulatory principles focus on resistance and durability to ensure long-term robustness while optimizing sections to maximize efficiency and minimize material use, thus enhancing sustainability and reducing environmental impact. Historical ceramic masonry constructions fully adhere to these principles; however, they have been largely supplanted by modern materials. The compressive strength and functional advantages of structures built with ceramic masonry, particularly those featuring extremely thin wall sections, warrant a reassessment of their structural properties. This is exemplified by thin-tile vaults (ranging from 0.015 to 0.020 m in thickness) and hollow brick vaults with a thickness of less than 0.050 m, both of which represent highly efficient solutions. The proposed examples inherently meet these structural system properties due to their low energy dispersion, minimal gravitational weight, superior thermal performance, and monolithic tectonic composition using a single, easily recyclable material. This paper reviews the historical background of these construction systems, emphasizing their relevance in post-war periods when concrete and steel were scarce. It is concluded that these construction systems remain valid and are consistent with the principles of the circular economy, as well as with the structural safety standards of the 21st century. Full article

The percentage of historical heritage buildings in Italy is substantial. Many of these buildings are abandoned or not adequately restored for public access due to safety concerns. However, some are managed by city councils and made available to local communities. These heritage buildings, valued for their historical significance, are now frequently used for live events, including musical performances by ensembles and small groups. This paper deals with the acoustics of two rooms provided with barrel-vaulted ceilings: Sisto V Hall in Naples and Aula Magna at the University of Parma. These spaces are structurally very similar, differing mainly in length. Acoustic measurements conducted in both halls reveal reverberation times of approximately 4.5 s at mid frequencies, resulting in poor speech clarity. This is primarily due to the presence of reflective surfaces, as the walls and ceilings are plastered, and the floors are tiled. To optimize their acoustic properties for functions such as celebrations, gatherings, and conferences, an acoustic design intervention was proposed. Digital models of the halls were calibrated and used to correct the acoustics by incorporating absorbing panels on the walls and carpeting on the floors of the central walk path. This treatment successfully balanced the reverberation time to approximately 1.3–1.4 s at mid frequencies, making speech more intelligible. Additionally, an amplified audio system was analyzed to enhance sound distribution, ensuring uniform coverage, even in the last rows of seating. Under amplified conditions, sound pressure levels (SPLs) range between 90 dB and 93 dB, with appropriate gain control applied to the column array speakers. Full article

The recruitment process is a fundamental step in population life cycles that determines survival, population demographic structure, and dynamics. The success of recruitment events repeated over successive years greatly affects the survival of long-lived gorgonian populations. Here, we report the recruitment process of the precious, heavily harvested Mediterranean gorgonian Corallium rubrum (red coral) on both settlement tiles and natural substrates over different Mediterranean areas. Red coral is a gonochoric internal brooder that reproduces in early summer. Lecithotrophic planulae settle 15–30 days after release in semi-dark environments at depths between 15 and 800 m. In autumn, 0.58–0.68 mm-wide recruits can be observed on the vaults of small crevices and caves and on rocky cliffs and boulders. Owing to their small size, there is limited knowledge of C. rubrum recruitment in the field. In this study, we examined the recruitment density and distribution in Canadells (Banyuls sur Mer, France) and Calafuria (Livorno, Italy) and compared these findings with those collected over different Mediterranean areas. Red coral exhibited high recruitment values ranging from 0.43 to 13.19 recruits dm⁻². The distribution pattern of recruits, examined at a small spatial scale via nearest-neighbor distance analysis, revealed a significantly higher patch frequency on the natural substrate than on settlement tiles, presumably because of the scarcely available spots of free space on the former substrate, which are crowded by competitor species. Full article

The complex structural behaviour of masonry, with its brittle response in tension, frictional response in shear, and anisotropy, makes it challenging to model accurately. Tile vaults, with their unique features such as different binders and bricks placed flat, have distinctive structural performance, and determining the most suitable assessment method is still a subject of debate in both academic and professional circles. This paper presents a study on the structural analysis of tile vaults, aiming at evaluating different numerical approaches for this type of structure. The examination of these approaches and their effectiveness in capturing the structural behaviour of tile vaults intends to offer valuable insights to researchers and professionals in this field. Experimental research was initially carried out in order to provide data for the calibration of the structural models. Two full-scale vaults were tested. Furthermore, several material characterization tests were also performed. The numerical assessment was carried out through limit analysis and non-linear static analysis with numerical models based on the Finite Element Method (FEM). Two FEM models were prepared using different modelling approaches for masonry, namely the macro-modelling and the simplified micro-modelling approaches. The results of the limit analysis presented a load capacity significantly lower than the ultimate load obtained from the experimental tests. The calibrated FEM models presented good results in comparison to the experimental results, namely in terms of damage pattern and load capacity. Full article

Until now, the technology behind building systems has largely been neglected, and an exploration of the cultural transmission of these systems has been undervalued as a way of understanding changes in the symbolic worldview of society. This article analyses the developmental transitions in a specific building system, specifically the tile vault, as a case study that illustrates the changing values of a construction process as it has evolved, together with an understanding of the philosophy that has accompanied those changes over time. An ethnohistorical and ethnographic method has been used, enabling a longitudinal and rich analysis through time that illustrates the indissolubility of the technical issues from the prevailing social institutions of each era. These are based on a careful reading of changing conditions (environmental, social, and cultural), and of the progressive participatory appropriation which takes place through cooperative, synergistic working. Full article

In this study, experimental analysis on the compressive strength of multi-leaf thin-tile masonry is presented. A compressive strength test was carried out on thin-tile, mortar and 48 specimens with two- and three-leaf thin-tile masonry. The results obtained were compared with literature on brick masonry loaded parallel to a bed joint. Based on the results of this study, the failure mode presented the first crack in the vertical interface; this crack grew until the leaf was detached. From this point until collapse, lateral buckling of the leaves was generally observed. Therefore, the detachment compressive strength value was considered relevant. Up to this point, both masonries exhibit similar stress–strain behavior. The experimental values of the detachment compressive strength were compared with the values calculated from the equation generally used in the literature to evaluate the compressive strength of brick masonry. From the results obtained, the following conclusion can be drawn: This equation is only suitable for tree-leaf thin-tile masonry but with more relevant influence on the compressive strength of the mortar. This study concluded that only three-leaf specimens behave similarly to brick masonry loaded parallel to a bed joint. Finally, whether the failure mode was due to shear or tensile stresses in the vertical thin-tile-mortar interface cannot be identified. Full article

Fiber-reinforced composite (FRP) materials have gained an increasing success, mostly for strengthening, retrofitting and repair of existing historic masonry structures and may cause a significant enhancement of the mechanical properties of the reinforced members. This article summarizes the results of previous experimental activities aimed at investigating the effectiveness of GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymers) grids embedded into an inorganic mortar to reinforce historic masonry. The paper also presents innovative results on the relationship between the durability and the governing material properties of GFRP grids. Measurements of the tensile strength were made using specimens cut off from GFRP grids before and after ageing in aqueous solution. The tensile strength of a commercially available GFRP grid has been tested after up 450 days of storage in deionized water and NaCl solution. A degradation in tensile strength and Young’s modulus up to 30.2% and 13.2% was recorded, respectively. This degradation indicated that extended storage in a wet environment may cause a decrease in the mechanical properties. Full article