Bolton Castle and the Practice of Architecture in the Middle Ages

Abstract

It is suggested in this paper that our view of the medieval master mason's methodology, in respect of building design, tends to be a partial one; that it represents the ideal, and fails to take account of some medieval architects' inherent empiricism. A good deal is made of comparatively scarce documentary evidence, and of analyses of completed buildings chosen for their architectural coherence. For this reason, perhaps, our perception of the medieval master mason is sometimes too close to that of the modern architect. It is rare to examine a building's construction sequence in attempting to illuminate the subject: Bolton Castle is a building where it has been possible to reconstruct the process of design, and the conclusion drawn from it is that the design was not cut and dried prior to the commencement of building operations; rather it evolved as they progressed. It is shown that, in this, Bolton was by no means atypical and that such cases are a direct result of the medieval mason's craft based approach to his profession.     

Dynamical Assessment of the Work Conditions of Reinforcement Tie-Rods in Historical Masonry Structures

Tie-rods are essential structural elements, which have been employed for centuries in masonry historical buildings, either during the construction or in successive strengthening interventions, with the aim of containing dangerous horizontal actions. The actual work conditions of these tie-rods, which are strongly influenced by their load history, are difficult to be quantified theoretically, and an effective method for their measure is of great importance in order to ensure the efficiency of these elements during the time and the stability of the entire building. Common measurements are often carried out adopting models based upon significant simplifications, like, for example, hinges at the extremities. These assumptions, rarely represent the real work conditions for anchorages. In this work, a non-destructive testing method is presented, based upon sophisticated dynamical models that can take into consideration many of the circumstances neglected by the simplified models. Four case studies are extensively described, trying to embrace the most common situations in term of peculiar features of the building, structural configuration, and load history. The discussion of the results yields the safety margin of the rod with respect to the material failure and provides important indications about the overall stability of the whole building.     

ON THE SEISMIC VULNERABILITY OF EXISTING UNREINFORCED MASONRY BUILDINGS

A large part of the building population in Switzerland is made of unreinforced masonry. For the assessment of the seismic risk the evaluation of the seismic vulnerability of existing unreinforced masonry buildings is therefore crucial. In this paper a method to evaluate existing buildings, which was developed for the earthquake scenario project for Switzerland, is briefly introduced and discussed in more detail for unreinforced masonry buildings. The method is based on a non-linear static approach where the seismic demand on the building is compared with the capacity of the building. In-plane and out-of-plane behaviour are considered. Comparisons with test results from model buildings show that the proposed method suitably forecasts the capacity of a building. Finally, a numerical example of the application of the method to a building in the city of Basel is given.     

En-Rogel,and the Brook that Overflowed

Abstract

Our investigation of the Stratum IB building indicates that the apse on the southern wall was a later addition to a pre-existing 'Galilean type' synagogue, as field plans from Dothan's 1962 excavation testify. In fact, the three main doors to this building were in the southern wall. Contrary to the excavator's final publication, the central apse was not an integral part of the original plan. Some time after the southern wall was broken down and this apse was added, the Stratum IB building underwent further renovations. This subsequent change occurred when a small apse with a pool fed by a water-cistern was built in the southern end of the western courtyard. As these additional features are not found in synagogues, but are typical of baptisteries in churches, they might indicate that this apsed synagogue was transformed into a church.     

Effect of Topology Irregularities and Construction Quality on Life-Cycle Cost of Reinforced Concrete Buildings

Life-cycle cost (LCC) analysis entails consideration of building performance throughout the structures’ life. The impact and interaction of topology irregularities and construction quality (CQ) on LCC, however, are often ignored and require a more detailed evaluation. In this article, different levels and interaction of soft story (SS) and CQ are analytically modeled to quantify corresponding fragility curves and LCC (by considering hazard level, limit state cost, and probability of being in different damage states). The proposed method is illustrated with a three-, six-, and nine-story reinforced concrete building located in Vancouver (located in west coast of Canada).     

故宫灵沼轩残损分析及结构性能研究

故宫灵沼轩是我国最早建造的钢铁-砌体组合结构之一,目前损坏较为严重。为更好地保护和修缮该建筑,残损分析和结构性能研究是其修缮保护的科学基础。首先通过现场调研,对该建筑的残损状况进行分析,找出其显见的病害;然后通过精确测绘、材料检测及有限元模拟分析其结构性能,找出其隐在的病害;最后综合残损分析及结构性能分析结果,提出相应的保护措施建议。     

古城西安住宅消费市场满意度重要性与差异性分析

本文以古城西安为例,在第一手调查资料的基础上,构建了住宅市场消费满意评价模型,采用消费者指标选择累积统计的方法,构建了重要性与满意差异模型,进行了重要性与满意差异分析。研究结果显示:评价项目中,住房价格与中观小区空间因素满意评价较低;满意且重要区域主要集中于宏观区域因素;重要不满意区域,价格因素主导突出。     

The contribution of Sir Alan Wilson to spatial interaction and transport modelling

ABSTRACT

In a series of papers in the mid-1960s and early 70s, building on his key 1967 paper, Alan Wilson made a series of fundamental contributions to the specification and application of land-use transport models. In this paper the basis of his entropy-maximizing approach to spatial distribution models is outlined with a demonstration that the methods have applications very much beyond its transport roots. The entropy maximization method laid the foundations for the development of a range of multinomial logit share models. He expanded the core transport ideas to the whole range of comprehensive models, initially building on, and extending, Lowry's iconic Pittsburgh model. The factors that have sustained the longevity of Wilson's models are explored and articulated.     

故宫太和殿木构件现状分析及加固方法研究

为加强对古建筑的维修保护,故宫博物院对太和殿进行了勘查,发现如下木构件问题:西山挑檐檩跨中挠度过大;三次间正身顺梁及山面扶柁木榫头位置下沉10cm;明间藻井下垂13cm,井口爬梁已经开裂.通过运用结构力学相关方法,对这些构件的结构现状进行理论分析,研究了问题产生的原因,讨论了相应的加固方案,解决了这些问题.结果表明:西山挑檐檩虽然挠度较大,但强度满足要求,不需要加固;山面扶柁木榫头下沉的原因是局部受弯强度不足,但已通过支顶解决该问题;正身顺梁榫头下沉的可能原因是材料老化,局部受拉、弯、剪强度不足,通过采用钢木组合结构进行了加固;藻井下沉的原因是木材老化,井口爬梁抗弯及抗压承载力不足,通过采用扁钢箍加固的方法进行了加固.研究结果可为古建筑保护及修缮提供参考.     

民国江浙地区钢筋混凝土结构寿命预测计算方法研究

民国钢筋混凝土结构使用年代较长,一般已超过正常使用年限,有不同程度的耐久性问题。为了科学规范地保护民国钢筋混凝土建筑,通过对6个典型案例的现场检测分析,对这类建筑的耐久性问题和寿命预测方法进行研究,得出民国钢筋混凝土结构的耐久性问题规律,并提出了针对民国钢筋混凝土建筑的碳化寿命计算公式,建议民国钢筋混凝土建筑的使用寿命取锈涨开裂寿命,最后结合案例对民国钢筋混凝土建筑的剩余寿命进行分析。结果表明,民国钢筋混凝土建筑的剩余寿命基本在10年以内。因此,迫切需要对这类建筑进行加固修缮。     

‘Fifty-two doors’: identifying cultural significance through narrative and nostalgia in Lakhnu village

This paper proposes an alternative way of evaluating heritage values in the assessment of an abandoned school building in Lakhnu, a small rural Indian village in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Its aim is to re-think the appropriateness of professionally assessed methodologies, such as the Australian ICOMOS Burra Charter, and find others which are more inclusive and sensitive of community views and aspirations. Villagers claim this building as a key part to their cultural heritage, and view its desertion and disintegration with frustration. As part of a larger scheme to improve village infrastructure and to enable its empowerment, the aim is to assess the significance of this place to the villagers, facilitate its conservation and investigate possible outcomes for its use through community participation. In this context, the concept of narrative is offered as means to establish the community meaning of a place. Narratives are powerful ways in which people understand their environment and structure a view of the world. Using stories told by villagers about their relationship with the building, this paper argues that narrative can offer an alternative method of understanding heritage significance.     

Timber economy in the Roman Age: charcoal data from the key site of Herculaneum (Naples,Italy)

The city of Herculaneum (Naples, southern Italy), buried by the volcanic eruption of Mount Somma-Vesuvius in 79 ad, is a key site for understanding the timber economy during the Roman period. In this paper, the results of charcoal analysis of different building element types are presented. Beams, joists, poles, planks and door and window frames were investigated allowing us a view of which timber the Romans preferred for building in this area. We also fit the taxonomic results into the reconstruction of the ancient Campanian landscape, and finally, we discuss the knowledge that the Romans had about the technological properties of the wood that they used for building and the possible selection criteria that they followed in choosing them. Coniferous timber is the preferred material for building purposes. Abies alba is especially used, this fact confirming its stronger presence in southern Italian woods during the past and suggesting that its decline is mainly due to human overexploitation. The large presence of Cupressus sempervirens, selectively used for the production of poles, confirms that this tree was cultivated in plantations for timber production in the Vesuvius area. Furthermore, it might indicate that cypress could have been present as a natural tree in the local vegetation, suggesting a forest type that nowadays almost completely disappeared from this area and from the entire Italy. The findings of Juglans regia, Pinus pinea and Olea europaea, typical elements of the Mediterranean cultural landscape, show that their use was not limited to fruit production and that Romans also appreciated their timber. Beside these local resources, the presence of Picea abies and Picea/Larix indicates the importation of timber from northerly regions, probably the northern Apennines and the Alps.     

Strength Hierarchy at Reinforced Concrete Beam-Column Joints and Global Capacity

Strength hierarchy assessment is a method that can be utilized to identify the weakest structural element at a reinforced concrete (RC) beam-column joint. The method was extensively used in various research activities at the University of Canterbury, which mainly involved beam-column joint subassembly tests. However, this method required improvements and refinements in order to be adopted in multi-story building applications. In this paper, the improvements made to the method are reported. In the improved method, capacity of the weakest element at every beam-column joint in an RC frame building can be related to the corresponding global base shear demand. The method has been illustrated via two example applications: an RC frame lacking joint shear reinforcement and a modern RC frame with adequate joint shear reinforcement. The case study examples confirmed the accuracy and the effectiveness of the method.     

Coalitions,institutions and big tents: the new strategic reality of armed intervention

Armed interventions of the past decades demonstrate that strategic leadership can give way to lofty campaign plans, conflicting strategic narratives and concern with tactical, as opposed to strategic, issues. The intervention debate rightfully emphasizes the need for both leadership and institution‐building to rectify this situation, but then breaks down into discord: some critics argue that stronger leadership by big nations is necessary, others that this type of leadership wrecks the collective institutions that are needed in a new age of multilateralism and interdependence. This article argues instead that strategic leadership grows out of the effort to connect the three distinct political arenas that have come to dominate armed interventions: coalitions, institutions and big tent diplomacy. Strategic leadership is not about choosing between coalitions or institutions; it is about building bridges among these political arenas. The article embeds this argument within the strategic literature and demonstrates how it emerges from an engagement with modern armed interventions. It engages in two in‐depth assessments of NATO's experiences in Afghanistan and Libya and then undertakes a more general discussion of the steps that can be taken to encourage strategic leadership.     

故宫灵沼轩风振响应分析

故宫灵沼轩是一座砌体结构与钢结构组合而成的文物建筑。为有效对其保护,采用数值模拟方法,研究了风振作用下结构的动力响应。基于灵沼轩结构现状,建立了有限元模型。通过模态分析,获得了灵沼轩的基频和主振型;通过对结构施加y向脉动风荷载,研究了重现期为50年时结构的风振特性,评价了结构在风荷载作用下的安全现状。结果表明:灵沼轩结构基频为f=5.75Hz,在x及y向的主振型以局部振动为主;脉动风压作用下,结构保持稳定振动状态,但顶部位置加速度峰值偏大。另风压作用下,砌体结构部分位置的抗拉强度不足,应在日常维护中予以重视;钢结构部分由于材料强度大,因而不会出现强度破坏。     

ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF THE SEISMIC RETROFITTING OF LOW-COST APARTMENT BUILDINGS

When structural retrofitting of buildings is required due to seismic safety considerations, building owners or government officials are faced with a crucial decision whether to demolish and rebuild their buildings, or retrofit them. Simple decisions based on fixed proportions, such as demolish and rebuild if retrofit costs exceed 40% of the replacement cost, may be misleading. A financial analysis should be carried out considering all the revenues and costs of the building during its life time. A low-cost residential apartment building that has a construction cost of $140/m² is selected in this study to represent the vulnerable buildings in developing countries under seismic risk. Life-cycle cost analysis approach is employed to value the rebuild or retrofit alternatives to compare economically. Economic assessment has been carried out for various parameters. It has been found that the age of the building and the retrofit ratio are dominant parameters among the others. The critical retrofit ratio (percent of retrofit cost to initial construction cost) varied from 25% for 40 year old buildings to 67% for 10 year old buildings. It is suggested that economical decisons should not be made simply by comparing the retrofit costs to initial construction costs.     

“Choking without killing”: Opacity and the grey area of migration governmentality

This paper focuses on the “grey area of migration governmentality” by dealing with modes of border violence which are opaque and remain under the threshold of political visibility and that, however, highly disrupt and hamper migrants' lives and movements. It starts by conceptualising the notion of “grey area” by building on scholarship that questions the biopolitical formula “making live/letting die” highlighting modes of governing migration through choking and injuring. Building on that, the paper shows that the grey area consists of heterogenous political technologies that choke migrants and disrupt their infrastructures of liveability. In light of that, it moves on by analysing how migrants across Europe are contained and governed by being choked and cramped, with a specific focus on Calais and Ventimiglia. The third section shows that to be disrupted are not only migrants’ but also their infrastructures of liveability: migrants are hampered from building collective spaces of life. In the last part, the article comes to grips with opacity as a constitutive feature of the grey area of governmentality, analysing how this is played out both in local decrees and through police tactics.     

DATING ANCIENT LIME MORTARS BY GEOCHEMICAL AND MINERALOGICAL ANALYSIS

This paper proposes a method of dating based on the study of the mineralogy and geochemistry of lime mortars. If the mortars used in constructing the various parts of a building are made from limestones of distinct geochemistry (minor elements) and mineralogy (clay content), such differences should be identifiable in their compositions. Furthermore, if some parts of the building can be reliably dated, the mortars used in their construction can be compared with mortars taken from parts of the building whose dates are unknown. Under certain conditions, a relationship can be established between the mortars, and a date may be proposed. An experimental procedure, based on identification of mortar phases, is proposed. The method was tested on two historical monuments, built in the eleventh to twelfth and nineteenth centuries respectively, which illustrate different dating problems.