The Stone Masonry Contribution in Greek Industrial Buildings’ Typology and Construction Durability (Late 19th to Early 20th Century)

Abstract

Stone masonry is the oldest form of construction in the world until the beginning of the 20th century. The first stone walls were constructed by farmers and primitive people by piling loose field stones into a dry stone wall. Later, mortar and plaster were used, especially in the construction of city walls, castles, and other fortifications before and during the Middle Ages. These stone walls are spread throughout the world in different forms. Stone walls are usually made of local materials varying from limestone and flint to granite and sandstone. However, the quality of building stone varies greatly, both in its endurance to weathering, resistance to water penetration and in its ability to be worked into regular shapes before construction. Also, the majority of buildings in Greece at the end of 19th century up to the use of concrete in constructions are load-bearing stone masonry structures. Moreover, research shows that it is the most widely construction material in industrial buildings, that era. As it is known, stone masonry has high compression strength under vertical loads but has low tensile strength (against twisting or stretching) unless reinforced, while the tensile strength of masonry walls can be increased by thickening the wall. In general, industrial buildings constructed of stone masonry, from late 19th to early 20th century, have particularities in their typology because they were directly dependent on their mechanical equipment and production line. The aim of this study is to investigate the contribution of stone masonry as a construction material in the typology of these industrial buildings concerning their durability.

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