Sustainable Use of Traditional Geomaterials in Construction Practice
Geomaterials derived from the Earth’s crust and used in construction after appropriate processing are among the earliest raw materials exploited, processed and used by humans. Their numerous functional properties include accessibility, workability and serviceability, and these are explored within this volume. In modern society, sustainable use of raw materials, specifically those exploited in large volumes such as geomaterials for construction, raises questions of reducing extraction of primary resources and thus minimizing impacts on natural systems, and also employment of materials and technologies to lower emissions of deleterious substances into the atmosphere. This will be possible only if we fully understand the properties, processing and mode of use of traditional geomaterials. Although most of the papers within this volume were written by geologists, the contributions will also be of interest to those working in cultural heritage, monument conservation, civil engineering and architecture.
Sierra de Guadarrama (Madrid, Spain): bridging the gap between geology and architecture
-
Published:January 01, 2016
-
CiteCitation
Manuel García-Rodriguez, Miguel García-Rodriguez, Miguel Gomez-Heras, 2016. "Sierra de Guadarrama (Madrid, Spain): bridging the gap between geology and architecture", Sustainable Use of Traditional Geomaterials in Construction Practice, R. Přikryl, Á. Török, M. Gomez-Heras, K. Miskovsky, M. Theodoridou
Download citation file:
- Share
Abstract
The knowledge that societies have of their geological environment and of the materials used in their heritage is of great importance for the sustainable use and conservation of traditional natural stone architecture. Similar weathering mechanisms occur in natural environments and the built environment and, in both cases, weathering may endanger both natural and built heritage. The Sierra de Guadarrama (Spanish Central System) is a privileged area in which natural and built heritage coexist. This paper describes an area of particular monumental and geological interest on the northern slopes of the Sierra de Guadarrama; its main aim is to propose an itinerary for members of the public, presented as a route through the area around Segovia, in which architecture/cultural heritage and an Earth sciences approach are brought together with an educational purpose. To this end, some connections are established between weathering forms in natural and built environments, as well as between the lithological characteristics of the rocks used in construction of ancient monuments in the area and the distribution of stresses and loads of walls.
- building stone
- buildings
- Castilla y Leon Spain
- conservation
- construction
- construction materials
- degradation
- distribution
- dolostone deposits
- engineering geology
- engineering properties
- Europe
- gneisses
- history
- human activity
- Iberian Peninsula
- landscapes
- limestone deposits
- Madrid Spain
- marble deposits
- materials
- metamorphic rocks
- ornamental materials
- petrology
- physical properties
- quarries
- resources
- sandstone deposits
- Segovia Spain
- Sierra de Guadarrama
- slate deposits
- Southern Europe
- Spain
- stress
- sustainable development
- weathering
- World Heritage sites