Historical, archival and natural studies of the design features of wooden grillages and pile foundations
Abstract
Historical, archival and natural studies of the design features of wooden grillages and pile foundations
Incoming article date: 01.06.2025The use of wooden elements to distribute loads from overlying structures to artificial and natural foundations has been known since ancient times. The most striking example known from ancient Greek epics is the description of the structure of the foundation of the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus (construction began around 550 BC). One of the seven wonders of the world was built in a seismic zone, but in a swampy part to minimize impacts. In those ancient times, the architects Chersiphron and Metagenom decided to lay burnt oak trunks in the foundation to evenly distribute loads on the foundation and reduce the settlement of the cyclopean structure by the standards of that time. Similar solutions were used by the architects of the Trans-Urals (Arkaim and settlements in the area of the Karagayly-Ayat River), the ancient Roman port of Londinium, as well as the Neolithic dwellings in Lac de Chalen. The results of the conducted research show the technical regularities of the device of wooden grillages, ridge and sleeper structural elements in the foundation of objects of historical and architectural heritage in the architectural and construction art from ancient times to the present day. The work presents the results of the natura research, which showed the possibility of continuing the operation of buildings and structures using the specified structures.
Keywords: objects of historical and architectural heritage, dispersed environment, soil massif, artificial foundations, wooden piles, sleepers, crib foundation structures, loss of wood