Search Results (27)

This study reconstructs the recent history of Therasia by examining the interplay between traditional settlements and the island’s natural and agricultural landscape. Through an interdisciplinary approach that integrates spatial and architectural analysis, historical records, and NDVI-based vegetation mapping, this research highlights the significant impact of agrarian structures like dry-stone walls and terraces on the environment. The unique dry-stone wall and terrace system is shown to have been crucial for both spatial organization and the survival of Therasia’s inhabitants. This study also addresses the challenges of dating these structures, employing a relative dating methodology to establish a timeline of habitation from the late medieval period to the present. This research reconstructs the island’s recent history, from early seasonal settlements to the eventual decline of rural architecture in the 20th century. The findings indicate that settlement patterns were closely linked to environmental and geomorphological factors, with the evolution of these sites driven by agricultural practices and broader socio-economic changes. This research not only reconstructs Therasia’s past, but also proposes a novel methodological framework combining remote sensing with traditional historical analysis, offering new insights into the relationship between human settlements and the environment in the Aegean region. Full article

Stone curtain walls are widely used in contemporary architectures; however, their regular inspection is always labor-intensive, time-consuming, and hazardous due to the complex and enclosed spatial structure of these high-rise building enclosures. To address this issue, this study proposes an automated and novel inspection method, which is composed of the following three steps: First, we utilize 3D laser scanning technology to capture colored point cloud data of the stone curtain wall system; subsequently, by extracting and processing the integration of color and depth information, the stone panels and end sealants are precisely segmented; finally, various defects, such as cracks, unevenness, and irregularities, are automatically identified through artificial intelligence algorithms in a timely manner. To validate the proposed method, an on-site experiment was carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness in detecting multiple defects concurrently on stone curtain walls. The experimental results showed that our proposed method could provide a non-contact and automated inspection alternative for all the stone curtain walls with a high accuracy of anomaly detection, facilitating rational maintenance plans and strategies to ensure the safety and performance of these modern building enclosures. Full article

The present paper aims to study the Wachau Valley in Austria as a representative Cultural Landscape under threat from extreme hydrometeorological hazards linked to climate change. The primary objective is to investigate the impacts and assess the vulnerability associated with the events of heavy rain and flooding. The methodology employed consists of an investigation of recorded past events impacting the Wachau; a vulnerability ranking system; a climate time series analysis based on earth observation products; and future hazard maps at territorial level, developed with outputs from regional and global climate models. The investigation we carried out provides a vulnerability assessment of two terraced areas with a surface of about 10,000 m² in total, characterized by the presence of dry stone walls, with different state of conservation in the Municipality of Krems (Wachau). In addition, climate projections at territorial level for the extreme climate indices R20mm, R95pTOT, and R×5day—selected for investigating the likelihood of increases/decreases in events of heavy rain and large basin flooding—are provided, with a spatial resolution of ~12 km for the near and far future (2021–2050; 2071–2100) under stabilizing (RCP 4.5) and pessimistic (RCP 8.5) scenarios. The results indicate a general increase for the three indices in the studied areas during the far future under the pessimistic scenario, suggesting a heightened risk of heavy rain and flooding. These findings aim to inform policymakers and decision-makers in their development of strategies for safeguarding cultural heritage. Furthermore, they serve to assist local stakeholders in enhancing their understanding of prioritizing interventions related to preparedness, emergency response, and recovery. Full article

In this study, dry-stone walling was assessed by the public to map perceptions on the recognition, durability, appeal, food production aspects, biodiversity advocacy, and other characteristics and functions of dry-stone walling. The survey’s goal was to define how informed the public is about the functions performed by dry-stone walling. The answers were expected to reveal whether the returns of dry-stone walling are widely acknowledged by the public, what the key factors are for the dissemination of these profits, and if there is solid ground for the reintroduction of dry-stone walling as a cutting-edge choice for new projects. Full article

In the continental Mediterranean mountains of the Iberian Peninsula is located a landscape characterized by the presence of enclosed land parcels delimited by dry stone walls or vegetation, or by both these elements. This landscape has been included, since 2018, in UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity under the name of Art of dry stone walling, knowledge and techniques. However, today’s territorial dynamics jeopardize the maintenance of this landscape heritage. This work set out to understand their origins, dynamics, and evolution from the 11th century (Middle Ages) to the present using historical documentation from different sources and diachronic cartography from aerial photographs. The fieldwork was designed to identify natural, cultural features and recent dynamics, in particular those related to urbanization changes of the last 70 years. Finally, we delved into the new dynamics of exploitation that were based on extensification and a loss of productive diversity. The results obtained lead us to consider that the loss of this agro-landscape must be prevented, with a reasonable livestock grazing criteria and a rational management of its heritage features. This requires regional, national, and European policies that recognize the enclosed landscape as a heritage ecosystem in which biodiversity and agriculture are closely linked. Full article

Bagan, the imperial capital of the Burmese Empire (11th–14th centuries CE), was situated in what is now known as Myanmar’s “dry zone”, Southeast Asia’s most arid region. This setting necessitated the development of a subtle, yet extensive rain-fed water management system that channeled water from the Tuyin mountain range in the southeast to the walled and moated royal city in the northwest. Nat Yekan tank, a rock-cut reservoir located on the western edge of the summit of the Thetso–Taung portion of the Tuyin range, played significant utilitarian and spiritual roles in collecting, sacralizing, and then channeling waters down into the vast Mya Kan reservoir, which, in turn, fed the water management system that redistributed this valuable resource across the Bagan plain. The iconographic elements carved into the stone walls of the Nat Yekan tank attest to its spiritual importance and tie it to an ideological program of kingly legitimacy grounded in guarantees of fertility and prosperity for all. Full article

This study is addressed at the cultural heritage of the UNESCO historical centre of Urbino (Italy) through the focus on a very peculiar building and ornamental carbonate porous (spongy) stone also found in the opus quadratum Roman dry walls. For these rocks, the mathematician and historian Bernardino Baldi (16th century AD) and the mineralogist Francesco Rodolico (middle of the 20th century AD) introduced, respectively, the popular terms of Tufo spugnoso or Pietra Spugna. Physical observations and stable isotope data (δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O) of these rocks allowed, for the first time, their classification as calcareous tufas, thus contributing to the valorization of the stone heritage of the city. This carbonate lithotype was formed by the chemical precipitation of CaCO₃, driven by the CO₂ degassing of supersaturated calcium-bicarbonate-rich waters, coupled with the passive encrustations of organic material in continental environments. Radiocarbon analyses dated these stones mostly between 9100 and 4700 yr. BP when a maximum growth of these carbonate continental deposits occurred in Mediterranean regions and northern Europe, i.e., during the Holocene Atlantic climatic optimum. Work is still in progress on a perched springline of calcareous tufas found along the Metauro Valley (a few km from Urbino), being good candidates for provenance, at least for those blocks exploited by the Romans and successively reused in the architectural framework of Urbino. Full article

The article introduces features of iron-working in the north-western Italian Alpine region (specifically, the Valtellina side of the Bergamesque or Orobic Alps) during the Middle Ages by comparing historical data and archaeological sources. This will help shed light on the organisation of the production process, starting from iron ore mining, proceeding to examine the transformation phases and culminating in the conversion of the ore into ingots or bars to produce tools for agricultural or wood-cutting activities. The article follows two distinct paths, initially presenting the main stages of iron-working in Valtellina until the second half of the eighteenth century, followed by an analysis of the mining complex of Val Venina where an extremely important metal-working site is situated. Two separate mining zones were identified, the first deep underground and the second an opencast working site. Furthermore, a series of rooms made of dry-stone walling that provided accommodation for the miners have been brought to light, as well as mineral deposits and stables for the animals required to carry out the activities described by Melchiorre Gioia in his volume “Statistica del Dipartimento dell’Adda” and indicated in the land registers of the Lombardy-Veneto regions carried out in 1815 and 1863. Full article

This study discusses the experimental assessment of the in-plane mechanical behavior of a multi-leaf stone masonry wall built from cut stone and reinforced with metal connectors (cramps and dowels). Inspired by conventional multi-leaf stone walls, the wall is meant for use in modern stone masonry buildings. The wall is constructed from two parallel load-bearing walls with a cavity between them, which aims to conceal the installation and insulation needed in modern buildings. The load-bearing walls are connected with cramps and dowels at certain intervals, so the wall works as a single section against horizontal and vertical loads. To characterize the in-plane behavior of the proposed wall, compressive, triplet, and diagonal compression tests were conducted to investigate the compressive strength, shear strength, modulus of elasticity, stiffness, ductility, and energy absorption of the wall. Compared with dry and mortar joint walls, dowels increased the wall’s initial shear capacity by 11 and 19 times, respectively. Applying cramps without curving channels inside the individual stone elements decreased the compressive strength by 18%. The energy absorption of the designed walls with metal connectors was substantially increased to that of the specimens representing conventional stone walls. The results show the wall’s applicability due to its higher shear strength and minimal drop in compressive strength, which is within acceptable limits. Full article

This article discusses the prospects for using large-format ceramic stones in the construction of contemporary homes, as well as an overview of raw materials and technologies for production. The most promising technology is stiff extrusion with the ability to load the raw products on firing trolleys and accelerate the processes of firing and drying. Characteristics of Eastern Donbass waste heaps processing screenings are given, which are coal mining by-products and are considered to be main raw material for the production of large-sized ceramic stone. It is shown that as a result of introduction of waste heaps into the production of ceramic stones with the lowest prime cost, the density of the resulting products will be less than 800 kg/m³, the thermal conductivity will be less than 0.20 m·°C/W, and the strength grade will be M150 and higher. Thus, the use of ceramic stones in total volume of wall products for residential construction will reach the level of 80% and will increase the competitiveness of the material, especially when compared with gas silicate products, as used in Western Europe. High economic feasibility of the production of such materials based on by-products of waste heap processing is shown as well. Full article

The process of combining various parts to create a structure is called building. The most effective and significant component of any construction is masonry. The Colosseum, buildings from ancient Greece and Rome, Central American buildings, and Mycenaean structures all used this material as one of their primary building elements. The oldest form is dry masonry of irregularly shaped stones. The ecological qualities of masonry, as a restorative material with a low impact on the environment, as well as the environmental control capacity of the massive wall, bring masonry back to attention as a suitable material for sustainable building in the context of current concerns for sustainable architecture. This article takes the form of a review of the journey of masonry as the primary construction material—from prehistoric structures to modern-day edifices. This article will go through the fundamentals of masonry construction to support its usage in structures throughout history and in many architectural styles, as a crucial representation of human construction in architectural history. This article aims to create a historical review, presenting masonry as an essential building material and assessing its role in the history of building materials. Full article

The population decline of small villages is a very serious problem for our society. This situation is not easy to reverse. The challenge is to generate consensus among the inhabitants of small villages to develop projects that have both a link with social and cultural heritage and the aid of the regional and local authorities. This framework can be successful when it also has the capability to provide new lines of development growing from this initial seed that can attract new inhabitants. In this paper, we present research that follows these requirements. Our proposal is based on a traditional agriculture resource, which is the art of building dry stone walls. We study the case of Tàrbena (642 inhabitants in the province of Alicante, Spain). Stone artifacts are recovered: some of them are still useful for agriculture, and others are cataloged and transformed into a product for cultural tourism. This project is expected to develop local, manual, and specialized work through the development of workshops, crafts, and small businesses. This will provide more income for the municipality and the private sector and more opportunities to attract new inhabitants. Full article

Dry stone walls are a worldwide phenomenon that may shape entire regions. As a specific form of vernacular agro-pastoral practice, they are expressions of the culture and history of a region. Dry stone walls have recently received increased attention in Croatia, primarily due to research in landscape architecture and (historical) geography, though archaeological research on such remains is rare in part due to the challenges of undertaking such work in areas covered by dense evergreen maquis vegetation. In this paper, this type of landscape has been studied in detail for the first time using Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) based digital feature models as a basis to articulate dynamic dry stone wall landscapes in a diachronic archaeological interpretation. Using a case study from the Mediterranean region of Punta Križa, Croatia, we show that what superficially appears to be a simple system of dry stone walls contains a wealth of information on a complex sequence of human activity. The systematic, detailed, and diachronic interpretation applies a transparent workflow that provides a tool for all those undertaking interpretative mappings of archaeological prospection datasets and has proved highly effective when working with ALS-derived visualizations. The capacity to develop spatio-temporal interpretation within the framework of GIS and a Harris Matrix is especially powerful and has the potential to change our image of any region. While the case study presented here deals with a small area in Croatia, the methods described have a broad application in any areas of complex landscape remains. Full article

Terraced landscapes are characterized by many features but are also threatened by abandonment, with the loss of the historical landscape and increased hydrogeological risk. In this research, we developed an innovative integrated approach using expert-based assessment and evaluation of winegrowers’ perceptions to investigate the coevolution between terraced landscapes and rural communities. The aims were as follows: (i) to identify the historical landscape elements, (ii) to identify the landscape dynamics, and (iii) to analyze winegrowers’ perceptions about the historical landscape elements and future development prospects. The methodology was applied to a terraced vineyard landscape (545 ha) located in Piedmont (Italy). The expert-based assessment included historical analyses and field surveys. To evaluate winegrowers’ perceptions, an online questionnaire was used to understand their perceptions about the landscape’s historical elements and dynamics. The results suggest that unique historical landscape elements and traditional practices (vine pergolas supported by stone columns) are conserved in the area, but also highlight some dynamics, including new vine-breeding techniques (espaliers) and new land uses (olive groves, meadows, and woodland). Winegrowers (n = 49) recognized as identity elements the same identified as historical by experts. Regarding future prospects, almost all winegrowers preferred the conservation of vineyards and pergolas. The research methodology was able to show the mutual link between terraced landscapes and rural communities in coevolutionary terms and could be replicated in similar contexts. According to the winegrowers’ awareness, future planning strategies will have to support dynamic conservation of the landscape. Full article

Dry-stone retaining walls can be found worldwide and constitute critical assets of the built heritage for many sloped territories, holding cultural and economic value. Their design currently follows empirical rules, though the first steps towards a static safety assessment have recently been proposed in the scientific and engineering literature. However, the seismic design of these structures still lacks research studies. Therefore, this work conducts discrete element simulations to assess their dynamic behaviour. First, the approach is validated through existing scaled-down shaking table experiments, and it is found that the numerical simulations are conservative (i.e., on the safe side). Next, full-scale dry-stone retaining walls are subjected to harmonic excitations as an idealisation of earthquakes. Finally, based on a simplified limit-equilibrium analytical tool, their seismic behaviour factor is estimated for the first time in the literature, which falls within the proposed values of the European standards (Eurocode 8). This will allow engineers to adopt a validated behaviour factor in practice to assess and design dry-stone retaining walls with a pseudo-static approach. Full article