Adriana Silva

Bio: Adriana Silva is an academic researcher from University of Lisbon. The author has contributed to research in topics: Adobe & Masonry. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 3 citations.

Vernacular Caramel´s Adobe Masonry Dwellings – Material Characterization

Abstract: In Pinhal Novo, Palmela, and neighboring municipalities, southern Lisbon region, there are a great number of small adobe masonry dwellings, made in the first half of the twentieth century. The vern...

Vernacular earthen buildings from Leiria, Portugal – Architectural survey towards their conservation and retrofitting

Abstract: In Portugal, rammed earth monolithic walls and adobe masonry were, for several centuries, important construction techniques for dwellings. The frequent unnecessary demolition of these buildings, mainly due to lack of information related to them, lack or inadequate maintenance interventions, and advanced state of degradation, has been leading to great cultural and material loss. To preserve this vernacular built heritage and all the technological knowledge related to it, it is fundamental to understand the constructive technologies. Several earthen buildings from Leiria region were mapped and inspected, and two of them were taken as case studies. This architectural survey allowed studying their construction specificities, main building pathology, and thus contributing to Leiria's vernacular earthen buildings efficient preservation and use.

Characterization of adobe blocks: point-load assessment as a complementary study of damaged buildings and samples

Abstract: Adobe masonry is one of the oldest construction systems still in use today, Mexico has an enormous cultural heritage with traditional adobe houses being very representative of the rural communities and their culture. The 2017 Puebla Earthquake on September 19th struck the country causing the loss, destruction, and damage of historic buildings in several Mexican states, with the traditional earthen dwellings being the most vulnerable structures to these events. The fast abandonment of the local materials and techniques entails further research regarding the characterization of these construction systems, therefore, reconstruction efforts first require the recovery of the construction technique. After the seismic events, adobe samples of the remaining adobe structures of Jojutla de Juarez were collected. This population was one of the most affected in all the country, and, because of the major losses suffered, the study was conducted to determine the material properties of the dwellings’ adobe shards and natural quarry clays of the region. The characterization included destructive and non-destructive tests, mineralogical and granulometry analyses, and composition of the adobe samples of the buildings, as well as the aggregates. As a novelty, the compressive strength of the pieces was tested by two methods: the traditional compression strength test and the point-load test, in order to obtain the indicative values and the correlation equations between both tests. From the formal analysis and the laboratory, it was observed that the adobes from Jojutla presented different compositions which combined with the building malpractices and alterations to the traditional systems caused unpredictable behavior during the earthquake. The conduction of point-load tests in situ, as a part of a complete characterization methodology, could be an alternative to study the mechanical properties of patrimonial or damaged building samples before its disappearance.

Geopolymeric Composite Materials Made of Sol-Gel Silica and Agroindustrial Wastes of Rice, Barley, and Coffee Husks with Wood-Like Finishing

Abstract: Geopolymers have been mainly utilized as structural materials; their chemical structure and morphologies have been explored for their potential as a high-performance material in emerging applications. Geopolymer composites reinforced with materials based on agro-waste are attracting interest in engineering applications due to their easy processing, low cost, low density, and high strength-to-weight ratio. This investigation pursues an experimental methodology that consists of a scheme to make composites with a geopolymer matrix and agro-waste (rice husk, barley, and coffee) as aggregate material, that can be applied in various fields of construction. The study was intended to determine the influence of adding various agro-wastes on the mechanical properties of the geopolymer. According to the respective ASTM standards, the materials obtained were prepared and analyzed to determine their compressive strength, flexural strength, hardness and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)-determined characteristics. The results revealed that, for the compression tests, the composites formed by a sol-gel matrix and barley husk showed a better yield, obtaining the highest value of 3.5 N/mm2. Concerning hardness testing, the composites with a geopolymer matrix and coffee husks obtained higher values compared to the other composites. For the flexural tests, the compounds with the sol-gel/fly ash matrix obtained the highest yield stress value, which was 5.25 MPa with an elastic modulus of 7.59 GPa. The results of the microstructural analysis showed good husk-matrix interaction, together with failure mechanisms. The conformation of such waste-based compounds may enable them to replace natural wood in some applications, such as in the finishing of interiors of homes, during the final stages in the construction of buildings, or in the decoration of inhabited houses, as well as in finishing in the manufacture of furniture.

The Caramela dwelling – the immateriality of the matter

Abstract: The authors wish to thank architect Tiago Farinha for the data from the 2008 survey, Sara da Silva Carreira, graduated in Portuguese/English Translation for the text review and Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia for supporting project DB-HERITAGE –Database of building materials with historical and heritage interest (PTDC/EPHPAT/4684/2014).