Stone masonry: Past, present, and future

During this ENAC Week, we will explore stone masonry construction techniques from various regions, explore whether and how stone masonry construction can contribute to a sustainable evolution of the built environment, and participate in practical activities in the laboratory, applied to the construction, digitization, and ongoing preservation of these types of structures.

As future professionals in architecture, civil and environmental engineering, you will gain valuable insights into the structural behavior and energy performance of stone masonry structures. We will go through the analysis of the environmental impact of these structures by calculating their CO2 footprint and comparing it to conventional systems using life cycle assessment methods.

In the laboratory sessions, students will deal with stone masonry elements, understand historical construction practices, and explore digital and automated construction techniques.

In the accompanying lectures, we will cover:

1 - Introduction to stone masonry

• Get an understanding of stone masonry in historical and modern contexts.
• The evolution of stone masonry craftsmanship and engineering across different cultures.
• Identification of stone masonry building typologies.

2 - Performance of stone masonry constructions

• The CO2 footprint of stone masonry structures and their potential for sustainable construction.
• Concepts on the prediction and assessment of the performance of stone masonry buildings.

3 - Structural behavior and seismic vulnerability

• The vulnerabilities of stone masonry that can lead to structural failures.
• The properties of various types of stone and their application in modern structural design.

4 - Experimental project

• Participants will build and test small and simple stone masonry walls in the lab and then compare the experimental results with numerical predictions.

The goals of this project-based course are to develop an understanding of some drivers and barriers for sustainable solutions in the built environment and an appreciation of how ancient construction techniques can be used as inspiration for sustainable development of the built environment while meeting new performance requirements and leveraging digital technologies.