Historic Development of Building Theories and Techniques

Objectives of the course

The lectures are aiming at presenting some elements of mechanics in historical architecture, so that students will be able to interpret correctly antique and modern constructions.

Learning how the construction sector expresses its-self and observing it from a scientifically point of view, is typical for the modern culture. The same goes for the reading of historical texts that reveal the technical and technological knowledge of a specific period.

Prerequisites

Not required.

Assessment methods

Because the lectures and exercises are inter-twined, attendance is obligatory. A minimum 80 % attendance is required, if the students are to take the written examination.

Course contents

“Sed nil dulcius est, bene quam munita tenere edita doctrina sapientium templa serena,” [Lucretius Caro, Titus, De Rerum Natura, Liber II,7-8] “If I have seen further it is by standing on ye shoulders of giants” [Sir Isac Newton’s letter to Robert Hooke, feb.5,1676] “...each generation does indeed advance by standing on the shoulders of its predecessors...” [Sir Alfred Pugsley’s address at Trinity College, Cambridge, jan.1975] Obviously, it is impossible to understand a construction, relying only on the knowledge of the instruments from that period (that is why knowledge of construction techniques is essential), like also the known available materials in that specific geographical area; all factors that have determined specific types of constructions rather then others. It is interesting to stress that the development of a construction theory was based in the past on experiences (observing constructions, construction demolition and experiments on smaller models), in contrast with actual trends, constituted principally on an official summary of scientific knowledge. The special characteristics of the knowledge, based only on experience, constituted a limitation of the process that was nor constant neither homogeneous. During the lecture hours some major historical periods and relied important structures will be analysed:

• EGYPTIANS – PYRAMIDS;
• Romans – perfectly built structures, building the iso-home, introduction to the structural typology of the arc;
• The Middle Ages – cathedrals;
• Reneisance – re-interpreting the past and formalizing the knowledge on structures;
• Galileo, Wren and others;
• Pig and cast iron period, using the material and antique construction typologies;
• The industrial revolution and the first attempts to use iron in construction and as a consequence the birth of new structural types.

From the conceptual points of view, regarding structural planning, rules have to be abided when dealing with 16th century projects, considering theoretical arguments in planning and their evolution.

Exercises

Lectures and exercises are inter-twined, in order to involve as much as possible students in the process of learning.

Recommended reading

• Adams, J.P., (1988). L’arte di costruire presso i romani, Longanesi & C.,Milano
• Choisy, Auguste (1905). Histoire de l’architecture, Librairie George Baranger, (2voll), Paris.
• Choisy, Auguste (1904).L’art de bâtir chez les Romains, Ducher et C.ie, Paris
• Cowan, Henry J. (1992). “Structural design by observation of failures: how Gothic masters determined the dimensions of their structures”. Architectural Science Review, 35, 51-58.
• Cowan, Henry J. (1997). The Master Builders: A History of Structural and Environmental Design from Ancient Egypt to the Nineteeenth Century, John Wiley and Sons, New York.
• Booth, L.G. (1979-80). “Thomas Tredgold (1788-1829): some aspects of his work (part 2: carpentry). Transactions of the Newcomen Society, 51, 65-71.
• Sutherland, R.J.M., (1979-80). “Thomas Tredgold (1788-1829): some aspects of his work (part 3: carpentry). Transactions of the Newcomen Society, 51, 71- 82.
• Fichten, John (1986). Building Construction before Mechanization, The MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass.
• Giuffré, A. (1988). La meccanica nell’Architettura, La Nuova Italia Scientifica, Roma.
• Giuffré, A. (1990). Letture sulla meccanica delle murature storiche, ed. Kappa, Roma.
• Galilei, Galileo (1638). Discorsi e dimostrazioni matematiche intorno a due nuove scienze, Elsevirii, Leida.
• Heymann, Jacques (1995). The stone skeleton, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
• Heymann, Jacques (1972). Coulomb’s memoir on statics, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
• Heymann, Jacques (1993). Engineering a Cathedral, Thomas Telford, London.
• Pizzetti, G., Zorgno Trisciuoglio, A.M. (1980). Principi statici e forme strutturali, UTET, Torino
• Parsons, W.B. (1939). Engineers and engineering in the Renaissance, The William and Wilkins Co., Baltimore, Md.
• Todhunter, I., Pearson, K. (1886-1893). A History of the Theory of Elasticity and of the strength of materials from Galilei to Lord Kelvin, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. [reprint 1960, Dover, New York]
• Timoshenko, Stephen (1953). History of strength of materials, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York. [first reprint 1983, Dover, New York]
• Benvenuto, Edoardo (1981). La scienza delle costruzioni e il suo sviluppo storico, Sansoni, Firenze.
• Kirby, R.S., Withington, S. Darling, A.B. Kilgur, F.G. (1956). Engineering in history, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.
• Petrosky, Henry (1994). Design Paradigms: case histories of error and judgment in engineering, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, Mass.
• Wipple, Sqire (1847). A work on Bridge building Consisting of two essays, the one elementary and General, the other giving original plans, and pratical details for iron and wooden bridges, H.H. Curtiss Printer, Utica, N.Y.
• Moseley, Henry (1843). The mechanical principles of engineering and architecture, Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans, London.
• Fairbain, William (1849). Treatise on iron ship building, Longman, Brown, green and Longmans, London.
• Newcomen Society (1976). “The value of engineering history to the engineer: an open discussion.” Transactions of the Newcomen Society, 47, 225-226.
• Vitruvius (first century B.C.E.), The ten books on architecture. Translated by M.H. Morgan, 1914. Dover, New York, 1960.
• Palladio, Andrea (1980). I quattro libri dell’architettura, Hoepli, Milano.
• De La Hire, P. (1712). “Sur la construction des voutes, in Mémoires de l’Académie”, Paris.
• Belidor,B.F. (1729). La scienza degli ingegneri nella direzione delle opere di fortificazione e d’architettura civile con note del sig. Navier, 2° ed. italiana, 1840, Perelli e Mariani, Milano.
• Méry, E. (1890). “Sur l’équilibre des voutes en berceau”, Annales des Ponts et Chaussées, 1er semèstre.
• Vitruvio, M. De Architectura; [trad.it] I dieci libri di architettura di M.Vitruvio tradotti e commentati da Mons. Daniel Barbaro. Venezia, Francesco de Franceschi senese e Giovanni Chieregher Alemanno Compagni, 1567 (1987) anastatica, Il Polifilo, Milano.
• Rondelet, J. (1802) . Traité théorique et pratique de l’art de bâtir, Parigi. Trad. It (1834) Trattato teorico e pratico dell’arte di edificare, Soresina, Milano.
• Di Pasquale, S. (1996). L’arte di costruire tra conoscenza e scienza, Marsilio, Venezia
• Sparacio, R. (1999). La scienza e i tempi del Costruire, UTET, Torino
• Truesdell, C. (1968). Essay in the history of Mechanics, Sprinter-Verlag Inc., New York
• Collegio dei Tecnici dell’Acciaio (1982). Contributi alla Storia della Costruzione Metallica, (coordinatore V.Nascè), Alinea Editrice, Firenze.