Course Details

1. Interpret the history of light structures. Review the development of timber and steel structures in the ancient and modern times
2. Identify timber and steel as building materials. Compare the properties of wood and steel as basic building materials. Compare the natural material of wood and the industrially produced steel. Examine the characteristic structure of wood and interpret its properties. Classify the types of construction wood: Natural and industrially produced wood.
3. Analyze the behaviour of wooden bearing members under load. Recognize the weaknesses of wood and the role of design in avoiding them
4. Identify the pathology of the wooden structure: Biological agent and fire. Interpret fire resistance of wood, based on proper design and calculation. Use wood protection specifications.
5. Recognize the technology and design method of timber structures. Study the different joints on timber structures. Identify methods and means for jointing. Develop wooden structure design. Recognize the basic types of design of a wooden structure, depending on the constructural scale. Review project examples and methodology of wooden structures design
6. Recognize the technology and design method of steel structures. Develop steel construction design. Explain the vulnerability of steel members in high temperatures. Review historical and contemporary design examples and principles.

History of Light Structures: The development of timber and steel structures in the ancient and modern times.

Timber and steel as building materials: Properties of wood and steel as basic building materials. Comparison between the natural material of wood and the industrially produced steel. The characteristic structure of wood and the interpretation of its properties. Types of construction wood: Natural and industrially produced wood (laminated, glue-lam, cross-lam, particle boards etc.). Analysis of behavior of wooden bearing members under load. Weaknesses of Wood and the role of design in avoiding them. Pathology of the wooden structure: Biological agent and fire. Fire resistance of wood, based on proper design and calculation. Wood protection specifications.

Technology and Design of Timber Structures: Study of joints on timber structures. Methods and means for jointing (nails, screws, bolds etc.). Wood lamination. Wooden Structure Design. Basic types of design of a wooden structure, depending on the constructural scale.  Project examples and methodology of wooden structures design.

• Hristos Athanasopoulos, Building construction, design and technology, Hristos Athanasopoulos Edition, 2003.

• N.Kalogeras, Ch.Kirpotin, G.Makris, I.Papaioannou, S.Rautopoulos, M.Tzitzas, P.Touliatos, Architectural Technology, Symmetria Editions, Athens, 1999.
• Mario Salvadori, Why Buildings stand up- The strength of Architecture, Norton and Co, 1990
• W.Huntington-R. Mickadelt, Building Construction Materials and Types of Construction, J. Viley and Sons, 1981.
• Mario Salvadori, The bearing structure in architecture, Themeli Editions, Athens, 1981.
• J. Gordon, Structures of why things don’t fall down, Da Capo Press,1978
• N. Hawkes, MACmillan P.G.,Structures the way things are built, Oxford,1993

The taught part of the course is delivered to the students by means of lectures and computer-aided presentations. Lecture notes and presentations are available through the web for students to use in combination with the relevant textbooks.

Lectures are supplemented with project work carried out on an individual basis. Students are requested to design and produce construction details for a small light structure. During the semester, course instructors are making comments and corrections on the students’ proposals, at every stage of the process.