| CODE | BLH5002 | |||||||||
| TITLE | Building Technology, Structures and Materials | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 10 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Conservation and Built Heritage | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will discuss the history of technology and building, including structural design, illustrated with particular case studies. Development of the structural form and constructional techniques and structural aspects of historic buildings, particular those applicable to local historic buildings, will also be discussed. There will also be a discussion on the wide range of traditional building materials, especially local ones, to be found in historic buildings. This will concentrate on stone, mortars and plasters, and will centre on the composition and properties of these inorganic building materials, the most common constituent materials used for the production of traditional mortars, and how these materials were used in the construction of historic buildings. Emphasis will be given to the compatibility of lime-based mortars with porous limestone, and the differences when compared to modern (cement) mortars and plasters. Study-unit Aims The aims of this study unit are twofold: to introduce the student to the development of structure and form in historic and traditional buildings, based on a discussion of the history of building technology, and to make the student aware of the type and nature of traditional building materials (stone, mortar, plaster) to be found in traditional and historic buildings and archaeological sites, especially locally. Learning Outcomes 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Explain the development of traditional building technology and structural design over time, also in a local context - Explain the relationship between composition and properties of different traditional local building materials (limestone, mortar, plaster) - Demonstrate the ability to determine the compatibility between traditional mortars and local building stones - Demonstrate the ability to determine the differences between traditional (lime) mortars and modern (cement) mortars 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - List the traditional materials, tools and methods used in local building construction - Explain how to prepare a traditional (lime mortar) - Choose the appropriate characteristics for a suitable repair mortar for a traditional local building Main Text/s and any supplementary readings Essential reading - Ashurst J. 1983. Mortars, Plasters and Renders in Conservation: A Basic Guide. EASA. - Ashurst J. and Dimes, F. G. 1990. Conservation of Building and Decorative Stone. Butterworth-Heinemann. - Borg J.G. 1975. Is-Sengha Tal-Bini. 2nd edition. Progress Press, Malta. - Spiteri S. 2008. The Art of Fortress Building in Hospitaller Malta. BDL Publishing, Malta - Cassar J. 2004. “Composition and property data of Malta’s building stone for the construction of a database.” Cassar, J. In: Architectural and sculptural stone in cultural landscape. Prikryl, R., and Siegl, P. (eds) pp. 11-28. - Cowper A.D. 1927 (reprinted 1998). Lime and Lime Mortars. Donhead. - Elert, K., Rodriguez-Navarro, et al. 2002. Lime Mortars for the Conservation of Historic Buildings. In Studies in Conservation 47: 62-75. - Heyman J. 1997. The Stone Skeleton. Structural Engineering of Masonry Architecture. Cambridge University Press. - Mainstone R. 1975. Development of Structural Form. Allen Lane, London. - Torraca G. 1982. Porous Building Materials. ICCROM, Rome. Further reading - Adam J.P. 1994. Roman Buildings, Materials and Techniques. Indiana University Press. - Allen G. et. al. 2003. Hydraulic Lime Mortar. Donhead. - Alberti L.B. (J. Rykwert Ed.) 1986. The Ten Books of Architecture. Dover Publications. NY. - Ashurst J. and Ashurst N. 1988. Practical Building Conservation. Vol. 3. Mortars, Plasters and Renders. Gower Technical Press. - Buhagiar K. and Cassar J. 2003 “Fort Chambray: The genesis and realisation of a project in eighteenth-century Malta.” In: Melita Historica, Malta, Vol. XIII, no. 4, pp. 347-364. - Cassar J. 2010. “The use of limestone in a historic context – the experience of Malta”. In: Limestone in the Built Environment: Present Day Challenges for Preservation of the Past. Smith, Gomez-Heras, Viles & Cassar eds. - Geological Society, London, Special Publications 2010; v. 331; p. 13-25Cassar J. 2004. “Comparing visual and geochemical classification of limestone types: the Maltese Globigerina Limestone.” Cassar, J. In: Stone 2004, 10th - International Congress on Deterioration and Conservation of Stone, 27 June – 2 July 2004, Stockholm, Sweden, pp. 569-577. - Gaetani, M.C., Santamaria, U. 1998. I Materiali di Restauro: le Malte da Iniezioni. In Diagnosi e Progetto per la Conservazione dei Materiali per l’Architettura, Edizioni De Luca: 357-375. - Heyman J. 1982. The Masonry Arch. Ellis Horwood, Chichester. - Heyman J. 1998. Structural Analysis – A Historical Approach. Cambridge University Press. - Mora, P., Mora, L., Philippot, P. 1983. Conservation of wall paintings, Butterworth - Palladio A. 1965. The Four Books of Architecture. Dover Publications. NY. - Parsons W.B. 1968. Engineers and Engineering in the Renaissance. MIT Press, Cambridge. - Skola Glormu Cassar. Reprint 2004. Il-Bennej. DOI, Malta. - Pedley M., Hughes Clarke M. and Galea, P. 2002. Limestone Isles in a Crystal Sea: The Geology of the Maltese Islands. P.E.G. Ltd., Malta. - Siegesmund S., Weiss T. and Vollbrecht A. (eds.) 2002. Natural stone, Weathering Phenomena, Conservation Strategies and Case Studies, Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 205. - Spiteri S. 1994. Fortresses of the Cross; Hospitaller Military Architecture 1136-1798. Heritage Interpretation Services, Malta. - Straub H. 1952. History of Civil Engineering. MIT Press, Cambridge MA. |
|||||||||
| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-Requisite qualifications Course qualifications |
|||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Independent Study, Fieldwork and Tutorial | |||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
|
|||||||||
| LECTURER/S | Mark Azzopardi JoAnn Cassar Amanda Jane DeGiovanni Tano Zammit |
|||||||||
|
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
||||||||||