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Beiträge in Tagungsbänden:

L. Stampfer:
"From plant to turf: Determing qualities at the intersection between pedology, botany and building construction";
in: "Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference of the Construction History Society", J. Campbell et al. (Hrg.); herausgegeben von: The Construction History Society; The Construction History Society, Cambridge, 2018, ISBN: 978-0-9928751-5-2, S. 330 - 339.



Kurzfassung deutsch:
For more than 1000 years buildings made from turf served as the predominant habitat for Icelanders. Barely influenced by outside factors, they have seen little change in building technique through that time and today allow a glimpse into medieval building customs of nordic countries. Through the absence of oxygen in water saturated soils incompletely decomposed plant remains accumulate to a dense weave of fibres. Cut from the ground with scythe-like tools and spades in different patterns, pieces are used to construct shells that, filled with rammed earth, form the main walls of the cluster-like turf farms. Carried by a wooden structure, autonomous from the walls, turf is also used to cover and seal the roof.
While the high fibrousness of turf gives these walls minimal heat transmission comparable to modern zero energy houses, working with this natural resource implies inhomogeneity and variations in material behavior. A link between descriptions of this bulding technique, both written and handed down verbally, with currenct resarch of soil sciences and botany should be established, aiming to better understand what qualifies as a good building material.
With pedology not differentiating between different plants of origin for organic matter in the ground, only the mineral side of turf is described closer. Expanding the area of focus to the vegetation, that can be found above ground, gives further understanding about the composition of the organic component of turf. As mineral and organic elements are influencing the properties, the consideration of both factors leads to a description of possible habitats where suitable building material might occur. Additionally, it helps quantifying the specifications of turf and to understand the behaviour of this material within a construction.
Not only is a better understanding of historic design choices provided, but grasping the factors of
influence, like material composition and water content, can further help in the preservation of historic buildings and extend the time interval between necessary and customary periodic rebuilding. At last it appears to be the first step towards a possible use of turf as a building material for current architecture in an Icelandic context. Especially in times asking for sustainability in our everyday life, these constructions with high energy efficiency and following cradle to cradle priciples could provide answers in certain cases.

Kurzfassung englisch:
For more than 1000 years buildings made from turf served as the predominant habitat for Icelanders. Barely influenced by outside factors, they have seen little change in building technique through that time and today allow a glimpse into medieval building customs of nordic countries. Through the absence of oxygen in water saturated soils incompletely decomposed plant remains accumulate to a dense weave of fibres. Cut from the ground with scythe-like tools and spades in different patterns, pieces are used to construct shells that, filled with rammed earth, form the main walls of the cluster-like turf farms. Carried by a wooden structure, autonomous from the walls, turf is also used to cover and seal the roof.
While the high fibrousness of turf gives these walls minimal heat transmission comparable to modern zero energy houses, working with this natural resource implies inhomogeneity and variations in material behavior. A link between descriptions of this bulding technique, both written and handed down verbally, with currenct resarch of soil sciences and botany should be established, aiming to better understand what qualifies as a good building material.
With pedology not differentiating between different plants of origin for organic matter in the ground, only the mineral side of turf is described closer. Expanding the area of focus to the vegetation, that can be found above ground, gives further understanding about the composition of the organic component of turf. As mineral and organic elements are influencing the properties, the consideration of both factors leads to a description of possible habitats where suitable building material might occur. Additionally, it helps quantifying the specifications of turf and to understand the behaviour of this material within a construction.
Not only is a better understanding of historic design choices provided, but grasping the factors of
influence, like material composition and water content, can further help in the preservation of historic buildings and extend the time interval between necessary and customary periodic rebuilding. At last it appears to be the first step towards a possible use of turf as a building material for current architecture in an Icelandic context. Especially in times asking for sustainability in our everyday life, these constructions with high energy efficiency and following cradle to cradle priciples could provide answers in certain cases.

Schlagworte:
turf Iceland earth

Erstellt aus der Publikationsdatenbank der Technischen Universität Wien.