A New Load-Bearing Stone Construction Method: Digital Modeling and Construction of Two Prefabricated Freestone Walls
摘要
This article introduces a construction method that provides solutions capable of promoting the load-bearing use of stone in new buildings. Considering the economic and environmental advantages of natural stone in an international context of seeking reasonable resource use and construction processes with a better environmental impact, this research aims to open new perspectives for the use of natural stone as a structural material in contemporary architecture. The underlying hypothesis of this research is that the use of stone in load-bearing systems, gradually abandoned during the 20th century, could regain significant interest if new design and engineering models were developed more extensively. The article presents the method applied to the design and fabrication of two prefabricated load-bearing freestone walls, which are part of an innovative construction method based on prefabricated masonry elements. After construction, the two prototypes were lifted and transported to a national natural stone exhibition, located 30 km from the manufacturing site, thus demonstrating the feasibility of the process.