The contribution of urban-scale environmental monitoring to materials diagnostics: A study on the Cathedral of Modena (Italy)

The problem of environmental monitoring aimed at identifying and evaluating the weathering mechanisms affecting historical stoneworks is here discussed and a methodology based on the use of already available, long record, urban-scale environmental data is proposed. An example of its application to the Cathedral of Modena (Italy, XII-XIV century, included in the UNESCO's World Heritage List) is then presented. In this case, the methodology allowed the identification of the main degradation causes, which found significant confirmation by material diagnostics on the available samples and finite element structural modelling. Thanks to the decay causes identification allowed by the proposed methodology, more effective restoration procedures can be outlined.     

Consolidation of stone blocks prior to placement: A case study of the Roman wall in Tarragona (Spain): Report and methodology

The possible pre-consolidation of the stones used to repair the Roman wall of Tarragona was studied, on the premise that this had been carried out prior to placement in the wall. A detailed study of the stones was conducted in order to determine whether they had been treated, and if so, how this had been done. A semi-quantitative X-ray mineralogical analysis using the Rietveld method was performed, together with porosity and textural analyses. This paper concludes with a discussion of how the stones studied here were pre-consolidated using lime slurry.     

"爱(与)(他)人"--重读孔子的"仁者爱人"

"爱人"是人们讨论"仁"这一重要概念的意义时所最常引用的孔子的说法.然而,"爱人"这一表述的意义其实并非如此一目了然.本文从分析"爱人"这一表述中"爱"的涵义开始,以期接近孔子的"仁者爱人"这一表述的意义.首先,"爱人"之"爱"被区别于带有强烈欲望色彩的"好".其次,本文分析了汉语中的"爱"与"惜"在意义上的内在联系.这些语义分析指向本文所欲阐明的基本论点,即孔子的"爱人"应该被理解为对于人--对于他人或者他者--的根本关切.本文进而又分析了作为伦理命令的"爱人"与成为伦理主体之间的关系,孔子的"爱人"与康德的"互爱",以及为什么孔子的仁能在宋明儒学思想家那里发展为一个本体论意义上的概念.本文最后试图指出,仁的意义不在于与天地万物成为"一体",而在于看护一个始终让他人作为他人而存在的人我之"间".     

Unusual differential erosion related to the presence of endolithic microorganisms (Martvili,Georgia)

The presence of a diffuse biodeterioration phenomena can be observed across large areas of the outer surface of the limestone walls of the Church of the Virgin in Martvili. A differential erosion phenomenon was detected, suggesting a possible association with biological colonization. The erosion phenomenon is characterized by a circular discoloration leading progressively to the detachment of flakes of limestone at its center. Since the aforementioned process has not been described in the literature until now, the present study was focused on the interpretation of its origin and evolution. Three sides of the Church are affected by a variety of occurrences of circular differential erosion which display different stages of the process, whereas the western side is affected by epilithic growths across its entire surface. Surveys of the petrographic, mineralogical and physical features of the stone were made, and parameters such as density and porosity were recorded. Samples were analyzed by optical microscopy and SEM analysis in order to detected the presence of microorganisms whose species were then identified by means of morphological and molecular examinations. The study of cross-sections stained using the PAS method has confirmed the causal connection between microorganisms and the deterioration phenomena, providing information about their spread of penetration into the substrate and their substantial potential for causing damage. Dryness appears to be the main ecological condition favoring endolithic rather than epilithic growth. The most common isolated microorganisms were cyanobacteria (Chroococcales) and, to a lesser extent, meristematic fungi. The characteristics of the stone, and especially some endogenous discontinuities related to the accumulation of sedimentary layers and to the action of stone carving tools, might explain why the same differential erosion phenomenon occurs in specific areas of the block stones. The development of the differential erosion phenomenon shows a variety of stages of biological colonization. The progressive evolution of the deterioration process has been observed in detail: (a) firstly, white circular discolorations appear on the stone, which darken over time eventually becoming almost black; (b) circular perforations appear around the perimeter; (c) and finally a flake detaches from the center, leaving a deep depression in the stone.     

The FarmBuiLD model (farm building landscape design): First definition of parametric tools

The paper presents a set of synthetic architectural parameters dealing with the morphological aspects of rural buildings. The definition of these parameters represents a fundamental step of the FarmBuiLD research model (farm building landscape design), proposed by the authors as a tool for the analysis of the architectural characteristics of both historical and contemporary rural buildings, as well as the meta-design of new construction and transformation of contemporary rural buildings. The FarmBuiLD's module of physiognomical characterization of rural buildings allows to define the analytical-design parameters through the following phases: a critical analysis of the international scientific literature, a preliminary identification of the essential physiognomical characteristics of rural buildings, and an in-depth study of validation and calibration focusing on specific study cases. This work presents the preliminary definition of the parameters and a discussion about their experimental application through illustrative examples. Given their numeric value and strictly instrumental, thematic and complementary nature, the proposed parameters do not have any geometric, formal or stylistic characterization, and thus can be considered as capable of leaving an appropriate level of freedom within the design of solutions aimed at meeting both contemporary and future functional and aesthetic needs.     

Author Index (Volume 25)

Authors Index

Author Index (Volume 25)     

未被触摸的地球天堂——喜游美丽岛国瓦努阿图

正当不少欧美国家的白领受金融风暴袭击,为住房、还贷和就业问题愁眉不展时,生活在西南太平洋上的瓦努阿图人,却在怡然自得地享受着金色阳光。这个几乎与世隔绝的袖珍岛国,拥有大片的绿色雨林、神秘的无人岛、壮美的火山、瀑布和清澈见底的溪流,处处风景如画。人们过着近乎刀耕火种、不使用货币的原始生活,却享用着取之不尽的肥美鱼虾和各种热带水果;当地女子健美而多情,她们的浪漫绝不逊于风情万种的法国女孩;该国的GDP全球最低,但“快乐指数”却排名第一。     

走近金字塔

参观金字塔,是我童年时就开始孕育的一个梦。今年5月,当抵达埃及开罗机场之时,我这才觉得金字塔此刻已真正近在咫尺,儿时的梦想真的要成真了!次日下午,怀着抑制不住的喜悦心情,我们一行终于驱车前往开罗西南的埃及最大的金字塔所在地吉萨。金字塔,古埃及的国王陵墓。因其平整的     

《高僧传》序录所论四本书考

《高僧传》序录卷十四云:“沙门法济,偏叙高逸一迹。沙门法安,但列志节一行。沙门僧宝,止命游方一科。沙门法进,乃通撰传论。”该文对四人及其书进行了考论。     

CFD application to optimise the ventilation strategy of Senate Room at Palazzo Madama in Turin (Italy)

Over the last years, there was an increasing interest in keeping suitable microclimatic conditions for the preservation of artefacts: the artefacts preservation requirements may diverge from those of the museums visitors, willing to enjoy the works of art in a situation of psycho-physical wellness. The HVAC designers and engineers will have then to cooperate closely with the curator, in order to define a compromise between conflicting environmental performance requirements. In particular at the stage of air-conditioning system design or retrofit, it is extremely important to carry out a series of preliminary analysis to evaluate and monitor the existing environmental conditions and to anticipatory simulate and predict the post-intervention conditions. To this aim, advanced fluid-dynamic investigation tools (Computational Fluid Dynamic [CFD] techniques) enable to deal with the specificity of such topics and provide a useful decision-making support.     

天下第一雄关嘉峪关

看到嘉峪关的第一眼,我就觉得此行不虚了。连日来行进在茫茫的戈壁滩上,黄沙浩浩,树与水变成稀罕物,由此我以为嘉峪关也是一片漠漠的黄色,没想到嘉峪关居然是这样的水秀树明,仿佛回到了江南!嘉峪山谷不仅美好,而且地势险要。它南有终年积雪的祁连山,北是     

我驻美首任大使柴泽民回忆中美建交往事——向卡特总统递交国书

1979年的春天来得特别早,到了早春二月,华盛顿街头的早樱已经含苞待放,新枝嫩叶凝成的绿色轻纱透露着春天的气息。柴泽民有时穿着睡衣偕同夫人李友锋趁着清晨,从警卫森严的大使馆邸悄悄跑出来漫步,呼吸几口新鲜的空气,准备迎接又一个近似战斗的新工作日。晨光熹微之中,他的浓眉大眼掩盖不住欣喜的笑容。