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Building Construction From Principle to

Detail Volume 1 Fundamentals José


Luis Moro
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José Luis Moro

Building-Construction
Design – From
Principle to Detail
Volume 1 – Fundamentals
Building-Construction Design – From
Principle to Detail
José Luis Moro

Building-
Construction
Design – From
Principle to
Detail
Volume 1 – Fundamentals

Preface by Jörg Schlaich

With Contributions by Matthias Weißbach

Vieweg
José Luis Moro
Institut für Entwerfen und Konstruieren
Universität Stuttgart
Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

ISBN 978-3-662-61741-0    ISBN 978-3-662-61742-7 (eBook)


https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-61742-7

© Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2019, 2024


Translation from the German language edition: “Baukonstruktion - vom
Prinzip zum Detail” by José Luis Moro et al., © Springer Berlin Heidelberg
2019. Published by Springer Berlin Heidelberg. All Rights Reserved.
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher,
whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights
of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting,
reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or
information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or
by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service
marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific
statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and
regulations and therefore free for general use.
The publisher, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice
and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of
publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a war-
ranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for
any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neu-
tral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional
affiliations.

Editorial Contact: Frieder Kumm

This Springer Vieweg imprint is published by the registered company Springer-


Verlag GmbH, DE, part of Springer Nature.
The registered company address is: Heidelberger Platz 3, 14197 Berlin, Germany
v

Contents

I Constructional Design
1 Constructional Design.................................................................3
1.1 The Concept of Constructional Design..........................................5
1.1.1 Manufacturing Buildings......................................................................... 5
1.1.2 Definition of the Term “Constructional Design”............................... 6
1.2 The Process of Constructional Design............................................7
1.2.1 Planning, Conceptual, and Constructional Design........................ 9
1.2.2 Phases of the Constructional-Design Process.................................. 9
1.2.3 Methodology of Constructional Design............................................ 11
1.3 Conceptual and Constructional Design.........................................13
1.3.1 Influence of Constructional Upon Conceptual Design................ 13
1.3.2 Influence of Conceptual Upon Constructional
Design............................................................................................................ 18
1.3.3 Harmonisation of Conceptual and Constructional Design......... 19
1.3.4 Present-Day Circumstances.................................................................... 19
1.4 Principles of Constructional Design................................................20
1.4.1 Fundamentals.............................................................................................. 20
1.4.2 Historical and Modern Principles of Constructional Design....... 20
1.4.3 The Path from Principle to Working Detail and Vice Versa.......... 21
Bibliography............................................................................................22

II Structure
2 Order and Subdivision................................................................27
2.1 Order of Building Structures.............................................................29
2.1.1 Order According to Formal Aspects.................................................... 29
2.1.2 Order According to Functional Aspects............................................. 33
2.1.3 Order According to Constructional Aspects..................................... 34
2.2 Subdivision of a Building Structure................................................37
2.2.1 Subdivision According to Formal Aspects........................................ 38
2.2.2 Subdivision According to Functional Aspects................................. 38
2.2.3 Subdivision According to Constructional Aspects......................... 44
2.2.4 Classification of Building Components According to their
Constructional Complexity..................................................................... 51
Bibliography............................................................................................58

3 Industrialised Building................................................................59
3.1 Stages of Technical and Cultural Development..........................61
3.2 Manual Production...............................................................................62
3.3 Industrial Production...........................................................................70
3.3.1 Historical Development of Industrialised Building........................ 70
3.3.2 Characteristics of Industrial Production............................................. 81
3.4 Characteristics of Industrialised Building.....................................82
3.4.1 Principles of Industrialised Building.................................................... 82
vi Contents

3.4.2 Application of New Digital Technologies of Planning


and Manufacturing to the Building Sector....................................... 88
3.4.3 Transportation............................................................................................. 90
3.4.4 Erection.......................................................................................................... 90
3.5 The Erection Joint in Industrialised Building...............................91
Bibliography............................................................................................92

4 Dimensional Order.........................................................................95
4.1 Modular Organisation of a Building Structure............................97
4.1.1 Dimensional and Modular Systems in Building.............................. 97
4.1.2 System Dimensions and Constructional Dimensions................... 100
4.2 Dimensional Systems...........................................................................105
4.2.1 The Octametric Dimensional System.................................................. 105
4.2.2 Brick Courses and Masonry Bonds....................................................... 106
4.2.3 Masonry Bonds—Examples................................................................... 108
4.2.4 Building with Large-Format Units........................................................ 111
4.2.5 Modular System According to ISO 21723, ISO 2848........................  115
4.3 The Grid....................................................................................................118
4.3.1 Relation Between Component and Grid............................................ 126
4.3.2 Superimposition of Grids........................................................................ 128
4.3.3 Example: Combination of Structural Grid and Fit-Out Grid........ 132
4.4 Dimensional Allowances—Dimensional Coordination
at Component Joints............................................................ 136
4.4.1 Types of Tolerance...................................................................................... 138
4.4.2 Dimensional Tolerances, Terms. Example: Assembly
of a Window................................................................................................. 138
4.4.3 Dimensional Tolerances—Limit Deviations...................................... 142
Bibliography............................................................................................145

III Sustainability
5 Context...................................................................................................149
5.1 The Concept of Sustainability...........................................................151
5.1.1 Sustainable Building and Construction............................................. 151
5.2 Summarised Assessment of the Sustainability
of Building Constructions...................................................................153
Bibliography............................................................................................154

6 Ecology...................................................................................................157
6.1 Ecological Considerations..................................................................159
6.2 Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA)..............................................................159
6.2.1 The System Under Consideration......................................................... 160
6.2.2 System Boundaries.................................................................................... 161
6.2.3 Phases............................................................................................................. 161
6.2.4 Life-Cycle-Assessment Indicators......................................................... 162
6.2.5 Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)........................................ 165
Bibliography............................................................................................168
Contents
vii 1
7 Economy................................................................................................169
7.1 Economic Considerations (Life-Cycle Costs)................................171
7.2 Life Expectancy......................................................................................172
7.2.1 Ageing............................................................................................................ 179
7.2.2 Obsolescence.............................................................................................. 180
7.3 Life Cycle..................................................................................................180
7.3.1 New Construction...................................................................................... 180
7.3.2 Use................................................................................................................... 181
7.3.3 Renewal......................................................................................................... 183
7.3.4 Deconstruction........................................................................................... 183
7.4 Life-Cycle Costing (LCC); Life-Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA)........185
7.4.1 Construction Costs and Costs for Dismantling
and Disposal................................................................................................. 186
7.4.2 Costs of Use.................................................................................................. 188
7.4.3 Building-Maintenance Costs.................................................................. 188
Bibliography............................................................................................191

8 Social Issues........................................................................................193
8.1 
Considerations of Socio-Cultural Effects.......................................195
8.2 Accessibility.............................................................................................196
8.3 Adaptability............................................................................................196
8.4 Health and Comfort..............................................................................196
8.5 Burdens on Neighbouring Areas.....................................................197
8.6 Maintenance...........................................................................................197
8.7 Security/Protection..............................................................................198
8.8 Procurement of Materials and Services.........................................199
8.9 Stakeholder Involvement...................................................................199
Bibliography............................................................................................199

9 Life-Cycle Assessment.................................................................201
9.1 
Construction-Relevant Life-Cycle Assessment Data.................203
9.2 Environmental Product Declarations (EPD).................................203
9.3 Comparative Consideration of the Life-Cycle-
Assessment Data of the Most Important Materials...................203
Bibliography............................................................................................215

10 Recycling...............................................................................................217
10.1 Recycling and Disposal.......................................................................219
10.2 Recycling of Concrete..........................................................................225
10.2.1 Use of Secondary Raw Materials........................................................... 226
10.2.2 Utilisation of Hardened Concrete......................................................... 227
10.3 Recycling of Steel..................................................................................229
10.4 Recycling of Bricks................................................................................230
10.5 Recycling of Glass..................................................................................232
10.6 Recycling of Plastics.............................................................................232
10.6.1 Recycling of Thermoplastics.................................................................. 233
10.6.2 Recycling of Elastomers........................................................................... 236
10.6.3 Recycling of Duroplasts and Fibre-Reinforced
Plastics (FRP)................................................................................................ 237
10.6.4 Raw-Material Recycling of Plastics....................................................... 238
viii Contents

10.7 Recycling of Wood.................................................................................238


10.7.1 Types of Recovery...................................................................................... 239
10.7.2 Exposure to Harmful Substances......................................................... 240
10.8 Recycling and Environmentally-Friendly Design
of Building Structures..........................................................................242
10.8.1 Component Recycling and Material Recovery................................ 243
10.8.2 Principles of Recycling-Friendly Construction Planning.............. 246
Bibliography............................................................................................249

IV Materials
11 Matter.....................................................................................................255
11.1 Matters in Building...............................................................................257
11.2 Energetic Actions..................................................................................260
11.3 Elementary Particles............................................................................260
11.4 Chemical Bonding Forces...................................................................261
11.5 Basic Particles of Substances.............................................................262
11.6 Aggregate States...................................................................................264
11.7 Types of Material Bonding.................................................................265
11.7.1 Atomic Bonding.......................................................................................... 265
11.7.2 Ionic Bonding.............................................................................................. 268
11.7.3 Metallic Bonding........................................................................................ 269
11.7.4 Secondary-Valency Bonding.................................................................. 271
11.8 Molecular Material Structure............................................................272
11.8.1 Crystals........................................................................................................... 273
11.8.2 Amorphous Matters.................................................................................. 277
11.8.3 Organic Polymers....................................................................................... 277
11.9 Material Structure.................................................................................279
11.9.1 Mineral Matters........................................................................................... 281
11.9.2 Metallic Matters.......................................................................................... 300
11.9.3 Organic Matters.......................................................................................... 302
11.10 Boundary Surfaces................................................................................310
11.11 Deformation............................................................................................315
11.11.1 Thermal Expansion.................................................................................... 315
11.11.2 Elastic Deformation................................................................................... 316
11.11.3 Plastic Deformation................................................................................... 317
11.12 Cracking....................................................................................................326
11.13 Decomposition.......................................................................................332
11.14 Action of Fire...........................................................................................336
Bibliography............................................................................................339

12 Technical Materials........................................................................341
12.1 Building Materials.................................................................................343
12.2 Principal Materials................................................................................344
12.3 Design Appropriate to Material.......................................................345
12.4 Material and Sustainability................................................................350
12.5 Classification of Materials Suitable for Primary
Load-Bearing Structures.....................................................................351
Bibliography............................................................................................352
Contents
ix 1
13 Stone.......................................................................................................353
13.1 Stages of Historical Development...................................................355
13.2 Stages of Technical Development of Masonry............................356
13.3 Mortars.....................................................................................................365
13.4 Classification of Stones.......................................................................365
13.4.1 Natural Stones............................................................................................. 366
13.4.2 Manufactured Stones............................................................................... 366
13.5 Mechanical Properties.........................................................................369
13.6 Deformational Behaviour...................................................................375
13.6.1 Load-Independent Deformation.......................................................... 375
13.6.2 Load-Dependent Deformations........................................................... 375
13.7 Constructional Consequences..........................................................376
13.8 Summary..................................................................................................380
13.9 Characteristic Values............................................................................380
Bibliography............................................................................................381

14 Concrete................................................................................................383
14.1 Stages of Historical Development...................................................385
14.2 Composition............................................................................................386
14.3 Material Structure.................................................................................387
14.4 Mechanical Properties.........................................................................389
14.5 Deformational Behaviour...................................................................389
14.5.1 Load-Independent Deformations........................................................ 389
14.5.2 Load-Dependent Deformations........................................................... 390
14.6 Constructional Consequences..........................................................391
14.7 Summary..................................................................................................395
14.8 Characteristic Values............................................................................396
Bibliography............................................................................................396

15 Wood.......................................................................................................397
15.1 Stages of Historical Development...................................................399
15.2 Material Structure.................................................................................400
15.2.1 Macroscopic Build-Up.............................................................................. 400
15.2.2 Microscopic and Sub-Microscopic Build-Up.................................... 404
15.3 General Properties................................................................................406
15.4 Mechanical Properties.........................................................................407
15.5 Deformational Behaviour...................................................................410
15.5.1 Load-Independent Deformations........................................................ 410
15.5.2 Load-Dependent Deformations........................................................... 411
15.6 Constructional Consequences..........................................................415
15.7 Summary..................................................................................................417
15.8 Characteristic Values............................................................................418
Bibliography............................................................................................418

16 Steel.........................................................................................................421
16.1 
Steps of Historical Development.....................................................423
16.2 Composition............................................................................................424
16.3 Material Structure.................................................................................424
16.4 Classification of Steel Types...............................................................428
16.5 General Properties................................................................................430
x Contents

16.6 Manufacturing Processes...................................................................433


16.6.1 Hot Shaping................................................................................................. 434
16.6.2 Cold Shaping............................................................................................... 436
16.6.3 Casting........................................................................................................... 439
16.7 Mechanical Properties.........................................................................440
16.8 Deformational Behaviour...................................................................441
16.8.1 Load-Independent Deformations........................................................ 441
16.8.2 Load-Dependent Deformations........................................................... 441
16.9 Constructional Consequences..........................................................443
16.10 Summary..................................................................................................452
16.11 Characteristic Values............................................................................453
Bibliography............................................................................................453

17 Reinforced Concrete......................................................................455
17.1 Steps of Historical Development.....................................................457
17.2 Mechanical Properties.........................................................................458
17.3 Deformational Behaviour...................................................................462
17.3.1 Load-Independent Deformations........................................................ 462
17.3.2 Load-Dependent Deformations........................................................... 463
17.4 Fire Protection........................................................................................464
17.5 Durability.................................................................................................464
17.6 Constructional Consequences..........................................................464
17.7 New Developments in Concrete Construction............................467
17.7.1 High-Yielding Concrete (HYC)................................................................ 468
17.7.2 Fibre Concrete............................................................................................. 471
17.7.3 Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC).......................................................... 476
17.8 Summary..................................................................................................482
17.9 Characteristic Values............................................................................483
Bibliography............................................................................................483

18 Glass.........................................................................................................485
18.1 
Stages of Historical Development...................................................487
18.2 Composition............................................................................................487
18.3 Material Structure.................................................................................489
18.4 Classification of Glass Types..............................................................490
18.5 General Properties................................................................................494
18.6 Mechanical Properties.........................................................................494
18.7 Breaking Behaviour..............................................................................496
18.8 Deformational Behaviour...................................................................497
18.9 Constructional Consequences..........................................................498
18.10 Characteristic Values............................................................................503
Bibliography............................................................................................503

19 Synthetics.............................................................................................505
19.1 Stages of Historical Development...................................................507
19.2 Material Structure.................................................................................507
19.3 General Properties................................................................................511
19.4 Mechanical Properties.........................................................................512
19.5 Some Synthetics Relevant to Building...........................................514
19.5.1 Polyethylene (PE)........................................................................................ 514
19.5.2 Polypropylene (PP).................................................................................... 516
Contents
xi 1
19.5.3 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC).......................................................................... 517
19.5.4 Polystyrene (PS).......................................................................................... 518
19.5.5 Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA)....................................................... 521
19.5.6 Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)............................................................. 523
19.5.7 Polyamide (PA)............................................................................................ 525
19.5.8 Polyurethane (PU)...................................................................................... 527
19.5.9 Polycarbonate (PC).................................................................................... 528
19.5.10 Polyisobutylene (PIB)................................................................................ 528
19.5.11 Unsaturated Polyester Resin (UP)......................................................... 528
19.5.12 Silicone (SI)................................................................................................... 528
Bibliography............................................................................................530

V Building Products
20 Manufactured Stones...................................................................533
20.1 History of Manufactured Stones......................................................535
20.2 Fired Bricks..............................................................................................537
20.2.1 Starting Materials....................................................................................... 537
20.2.2 Manufacture................................................................................................. 537
20.2.3 Colouration................................................................................................... 538
20.2.4 Selection Criteria........................................................................................ 538
20.2.5 Nominal Dimensions and Characteristic Values............................. 539
20.2.6 Shapes of Bricks.......................................................................................... 543
20.2.7 Special Bricks............................................................................................... 550
20.3 Unfired Masonry Units........................................................................553
20.3.1 Calcium-Silicate Units............................................................................... 553
20.3.2 Aerated-Concrete Units........................................................................... 556
20.3.3 Concrete and Lightweight-Concrete Units....................................... 558
20.3.4 Granulated-Slag Masonry Units............................................................ 563
20.3.5 Hollow Construction Blocks................................................................... 563
20.4 Masonry Mortar.....................................................................................566
20.4.1 Normal Masonry Mortar (G): Lime Mortar,
Lime-Cement Mortar, and Cement Mortar....................................... 567
20.4.2 Light Masonry Mortar (L)......................................................................... 568
20.4.3 Thin-Bed Mortar (T)................................................................................... 568
20.4.4 Medium-Bed Mortar (MM)...................................................................... 572
20.4.5 Facing-Wythe Mortar................................................................................ 572
20.4.6 Other Special Mortars............................................................................... 572
20.5 Mineral Renderings, Synthetic-Resin Renderings,
and Thermal-­Insulation Composite Systems...............................572
20.5.1 Exterior Renderings................................................................................... 573
20.5.2 Interior Plasterings..................................................................................... 574
20.5.3 Starting Materials....................................................................................... 574
20.5.4 Rendering-Mortar Types.......................................................................... 574
20.5.5 Rendering-Mortar Groups....................................................................... 575
20.5.6 Delivery and Application......................................................................... 575
20.5.7 Rendering Build-Up................................................................................... 576
20.5.8 Thermal-Insulation Renderings and Rendering Systems............ 585
Bibliography............................................................................................588
xii Contents

21 Wood Products.................................................................................591
21.1 Characteristic Properties of Wood...................................................593
21.1.1 Historic Development of Wood Products.......................................... 593
21.1.2 Overview of Wood Products.................................................................. 596
21.2 Solid Wood...............................................................................................596
21.2.1 Roundwood.................................................................................................. 596
21.2.2 Squared Timber........................................................................................... 596
21.2.3 Construction Timber/Construction Sawn Timber.......................... 601
21.3 Wood Derivates or Wood-Based Materials...................................602
21.4 Wood-Based Materials from Sawn Timber...................................603
21.4.1 Finger-Jointed Timber.............................................................................. 604
21.4.2 Composite Laminated Wood Products.............................................. 604
21.4.3 Cross-Laminated Timber (X-Lam)......................................................... 610
21.4.4 Timber Construction Elements............................................................. 612
21.5 Wood-Based Materials from Veneers, Chips,
or Fibres....................................................................................................615
21.5.1 Layered Wood Derivates (Plywood and
Micro-Laminated Wood).......................................................................... 616
21.5.2 Chipboards................................................................................................... 618
21.5.3 Wood-Fibre Boards.................................................................................... 622
21.5.4 Wood-Wool Lightweight Boards.......................................................... 625
21.6 Thermally Modified Timber (TMT)...................................................626
21.7 Composite Cross-Sections..................................................................627
21.7.1 Glued Profiled Beams............................................................................... 627
21.7.2 Lattice Girders—Special Types.............................................................. 629
Bibliography............................................................................................631

22 Steel Products...................................................................................635
22.1 History of the Manufacture of Iron and Steel Products...........637
22.2 Advantages of Steel Construction...................................................640
22.3 Structural Mild Steel.............................................................................641
22.3.1 Hot-Rolled Non-Alloyed Mild Steel...................................................... 642
22.3.2 Weldable Fine-Grain Steels..................................................................... 643
22.3.3 Weather-Resistant Mild Steel................................................................. 643
22.3.4 Corrosion-Resistant Steel........................................................................ 643
22.4 Hot-Rolled Mild-Steel Products........................................................644
22.4.1 Flat Products................................................................................................ 645
22.4.2 Profiled Products........................................................................................ 646
22.4.3 Hollow-Profile Products (Tubes)........................................................... 647
22.4.4 Types of Beams in Steel Construction................................................ 647
22.5 Cold-Formed Profiles...........................................................................648
22.5.1 Cold-Formed Hollow Profiles................................................................. 648
22.5.2 Cold-Formed Steel Profiles..................................................................... 648
22.5.3 Cold-Rolled Trapezoidal Sheets............................................................ 648
22.5.4 Steel Cassettes for Exterior Walls.......................................................... 652
22.5.5 PUR Sandwich Elements/Panels........................................................... 653
22.6 Metallic Cast Materials: Cast Iron and Cast Steel........................654
22.6.1 Cast Iron with Lamellar Graphite.......................................................... 656
22.6.2 Cast Iron with Nodular Graphite........................................................... 656
Contents
xiii 1
22.6.3 Malleable Cast Iron.................................................................................... 657
22.6.4 Cast Steel....................................................................................................... 657
22.7 Extruded Steel Profiles........................................................................658
22.8 Other Steel Products............................................................................659
22.9 Reinforcement Steel.............................................................................659
22.9.1 Reinforcement Steel According to DIN 488.......................................  659
22.9.2 Reinforcement Steel Fibres..................................................................... 661
22.9.3 Pre-Stressing Steels for Pre-Stressed Concrete
Construction................................................................................................ 663
22.10 Ropes, Bundles, and Cables...............................................................663
Bibliography............................................................................................669

23 Glass Products...................................................................................673
23.1 
Historical Development of Transparent Space
Enclosures................................................................................................675
23.2 Today’s Methods of Glass Manufacture.........................................678
23.2.1 Cast-Glass Method..................................................................................... 678
23.2.2 Float Method............................................................................................... 679
23.3 Important Characteristic Values.......................................................680
23.3.1 Light Transmittance τV.............................................................................. 680
23.3.2 UV Transmittance τUV................................................................................ 680
23.3.3 Total Energy Transmittance (g-Value)................................................. 680
23.3.4 Heat-Transfer Coefficient (Ug-Value).................................................... 681
23.4 Functional Glasses................................................................................683
23.4.1 Insulating Glasses....................................................................................... 683
23.4.2 Safety Glasses.............................................................................................. 695
23.4.3 Louvre Windows......................................................................................... 701
23.4.4 U-Glasses....................................................................................................... 701
23.4.5 Glass Bricks................................................................................................... 704
23.4.6 Glass Pavers.................................................................................................. 706
23.5 Transparent Thermal Insulation (TTI).............................................707
23.5.1 Principle of Action...................................................................................... 707
23.5.2 Aerogels......................................................................................................... 710
23.6 Adaptive Systems..................................................................................711
Bibliography............................................................................................715

24 Synthetic Products.........................................................................717
24.1 Use in Construction..............................................................................719
24.2 Some Building-Related Synthetic Products.................................719
24.2.1 Products from Polyethylene (PE).......................................................... 719
24.2.2 Products from Polypropylene (PP)....................................................... 719
24.2.3 Products from Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)............................................. 721
24.2.4 Products from Polystyrene (PS)............................................................. 723
24.2.5 Products from Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)........................... 725
24.2.6 Products from Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)................................ 727
24.2.7 Products from Polyamide (PA)............................................................... 729
24.2.8 Products from Polyurethane (PU)......................................................... 730
24.2.9 Products from Polycarbonate (PC)....................................................... 732
24.2.10 Products from Polyisobutylene (PIB)................................................... 733
xiv Contents

24.2.11 Products from Unsaturated Polyester Resins (UP)......................... 734


24.2.12 Products from Silicone (SI)...................................................................... 735
Bibliography............................................................................................738

VI Functions
25 Spectrum..............................................................................................741
25.1 Hierarchy of Functions........................................................................743
25.1.1 Usage of Buildings..................................................................................... 743
25.1.2 Basic Function of Buildings..................................................................... 744
25.1.3 Main Functions of Buildings................................................................... 745
25.1.4 Constructional Partial Functions of Building
Components................................................................................................ 746
25.1.5 Sustainability............................................................................................... 751
25.2 Particulars of the Main and Partial Functions.............................752
25.2.1 Load-Bearing............................................................................................... 752
25.2.2 Enveloping.................................................................................................... 753
25.2.3 Servicing and Disposing.......................................................................... 754
25.3 Allocating Partial Functions to Building Components.............756
25.4 The Elementary Partial Functions of Envelope
Components in the Context of the Overall Building.................757
25.4.1 Force Transmission..................................................................................... 757
25.4.2 Moisture Protection................................................................................... 760
25.4.3 Wind Protection.......................................................................................... 762
25.4.4 Thermal Protection.................................................................................... 763
25.4.5 Protection Against Uncontrolled Water-Vapour
Penetration................................................................................................... 764
25.4.6 Water-Vapour Dissipation....................................................................... 765
25.4.7 Acoustics....................................................................................................... 766
25.4.8 Fire Protection............................................................................................. 767
25.5 Sustainability, Durability....................................................................768
Bibliography............................................................................................770

26 Force Transmission.........................................................................771
26.1 Preliminary Note....................................................................................774
26.1.1 Categories of Load-Bearing Structures.............................................. 774
26.1.2 Assigning Force-Transmitting Functions to Components........... 775
26.1.3 Primary Structure and Building Morphology................................... 776
26.2 Basic Concepts.......................................................................................776
26.2.1 Premise.......................................................................................................... 777
26.2.2 External Load............................................................................................... 778
26.2.3 Support.......................................................................................................... 785
26.2.4 Form................................................................................................................ 798
26.2.5 Types of Internal Forces Within the System—From
Loading, Form, and Support of the Component............................ 802
26.2.6 Stresses.......................................................................................................... 802
26.3 Comparison Between Bending Moments/Shear Forces
and Axial Stresses, or Accordingly Membrane Stresses...........803
Contents
xv 1
26.4 Material Execution of Envelope Components.............................805
26.4.1 Bending-Stiff Systems............................................................................... 805
26.4.2 Movable Systems....................................................................................... 806
26.5 Form and Force Transmission............................................................809
26.6 Sectional Forces Within Components............................................809
26.6.1 Sectional Forces Within Linear Components................................... 813
26.6.2 Sectional Forces Within Planar Components................................... 814
26.6.3 Sectional Forces Within a Continuum............................................... 815
26.7 Elementary Components and Exemplary Load
Cases—Deformations and Stresses Within a Component......815
26.7.1 Simple Linear Components.................................................................... 825
26.7.2 Composite Linear Components............................................................ 839
26.7.3 Two-Dimensional Planar Components.............................................. 843
26.8 Critical Mechanisms of Failure..........................................................858
26.9 Realising the Force-Transmission Function Within
the Element—Structural Principle of the Component.............861
26.9.1 Solid-Leaf Element..................................................................................... 867
26.9.2 Element Composed of Abutting Bars Oriented Along y/z.......... 875
26.9.3 Element Composed of Blocks................................................................ 886
26.9.4 Element Composed of Ribs Oriented One-Way.............................. 907
26.9.5 Element Composed of Ribs Oriented Two- or
Multiple-Way................................................................................................ 947
26.9.6 Element from a Clad Perimetral Frame.............................................. 961
26.9.7 Multilayer Composite Element.............................................................. 963
26.9.8 Pneumatically Pre-Stressed Membrane............................................. 966
26.9.9 Mechanically Pre-Stressed Membrane............................................... 971
Bibliography............................................................................................983

27 Hygrothermal Functions............................................................985
27.1 Hygrothermal Protective Functions...............................................988
27.1.1 Moisture Protection................................................................................... 990
27.1.2 Wind Protection, Airtightness............................................................... 995
27.1.3 Thermal Protection.................................................................................... 998
27.1.4 Protection Against Uncontrolled Vapour Penetration
into the Construction............................................................................... 1000
27.2 The Interaction of Hygrothermal Functional Layers
Within Envelope Constructions........................................................1003
27.2.1 Basic Combination Patterns of Functional Layers
Relevant to Moisture................................................................................. 1004
27.3 Constructional Build-Ups in Regard to Their
Hygrothermal Behaviour....................................................................1009
27.3.1 Sandwich Panel........................................................................................... 1009
27.3.2 Insulating-Glass Pane................................................................................ 1012
27.3.3 Window Profile from Wood.................................................................... 1015
27.3.4 Window Profile from Aluminium.......................................................... 1018
27.3.5 Non-Ventilated Flat Roof......................................................................... 1021
27.3.6 Inverted Roof............................................................................................... 1024
27.3.7 Single-Leaf Exterior Wall from Aerated Brickwork......................... 1027
27.3.8 Single-Leaf Exterior Wall from Brickwork With
Thermal-Insulation Composite System.............................................. 1031
xvi Contents

27.3.9 Single-Leaf Exterior Wall from Brickwork With


Exterior Insulation and Rain-Screen Cladding................................. 1034
27.3.10 Double-Leaf Exterior Wall from Brickwork with
Core Insulation............................................................................................ 1037
27.3.11 Light Exterior Wall in Timber-Frame Construction Mode............ 1041
27.3.12 Non-Ventilated Pitched Roof................................................................. 1045
27.3.13 Ventilated Pitched Roof........................................................................... 1048
27.3.14 Exterior Basement Wall............................................................................ 1051
27.3.15 Basement Floor Slab (Thermal Insulation Below).......................... 1054
27.3.16 Basement Floor Slab (Thermal Insulation on Top)......................... 1056
27.4 Continuity of Functions.......................................................................1058
27.5 Hygrothermal Parameters..................................................................1060
27.5.1 Heat Conduction........................................................................................ 1060
27.5.2 Air Heat Transfer......................................................................................... 1060
27.5.3 Heat Transfer................................................................................................ 1062
27.5.4 Relative Air Humidity................................................................................ 1063
27.5.5 Dew Point...................................................................................................... 1064
27.5.6 Water-Vapour Diffusion........................................................................... 1064
27.5.7 Airtightness.................................................................................................. 1065
27.5.8 Moisture Transport.................................................................................... 1066
27.6 Requirements of Hygrothermal Functions...................................1067
27.6.1 Winter Thermal Protection...................................................................... 1068
27.6.2 Summer Thermal Protection.................................................................. 1068
27.6.3 Minimum Requirements of Hygrothermal Functions................... 1069
Bibliography............................................................................................1081

28 Sound Protection............................................................................1083
28.1 Acoustics..................................................................................................1085
28.2 Sound........................................................................................................1085
28.2.1 Physical Basics............................................................................................. 1085
28.3 Sound Protection..................................................................................1090
28.3.1 Basic Functions of Envelope Components from a
Perspective of Building Acoustics........................................................ 1090
28.3.2 Subjective Auditive Perception............................................................. 1091
28.3.3 Airborne-Sound Protection.................................................................... 1092
28.3.4 Impact-Sound Protection........................................................................ 1117
28.3.5 Particularities of Sound Protection of Windows............................. 1130
28.4 Sound-Protection Requirements.....................................................1134
Bibliography............................................................................................1140

29 Fire Protection..................................................................................1143
29.1 
General Aims of Fire Protection.......................................................1145
29.2 Basics of Preventive Fire Protection................................................1145
29.3 Building Legislation..............................................................................1146
29.4 Measures with Constructional Relevance.....................................1147
29.5 Fire Behaviour of Materials from the Perspective
of Building Legislation and Coding.................................................1147
29.5.1 Classification According to DIN 4102...................................................  1148
29.5.2 Classification According to EN 13501-1..............................................  1151
Contents
xvii 1
29.6 Fire Behaviour of Building Components.......................................1152
29.6.1 Fire-Resistance Duration According to DIN 4102............................  1152
29.6.2 Fire-Resistance Capacity According to EN 13501-2........................  1156
29.7 Relationship Between Material Class and
Fire-Resistance Class or Capacity.....................................................1158
29.8 Technical Fire-Protection Measures................................................1158
29.9 Factors Influencing Fire Resistance.................................................1159
29.9.1 Constructional Measures to Increase Fire Resistance................... 1160
29.10 Constructional Fire Protection of Standard Details...................1161
29.10.1 Components from Brickwork................................................................. 1162
29.10.2 Components from Reinforced Concrete............................................ 1164
29.10.3 Components from Timber....................................................................... 1172
29.10.4 Components from Steel........................................................................... 1188
29.10.5 Suspended Ceilings................................................................................... 1196
29.10.6 Composite Constructions....................................................................... 1201
29.10.7 Glazing........................................................................................................... 1202
Bibliography............................................................................................1205

30 Durability.............................................................................................1207
30.1 Durability of Buildings.........................................................................1209
30.2 Corrosion of Metallic Materials.........................................................1211
30.2.1 Common Types of Corrosion.................................................................. 1212
30.2.2 Measures of Corrosion Protection........................................................ 1216
30.2.3 Methods of Corrosion Protection......................................................... 1219
30.3 Corrosion of Reinforced Concrete...................................................1227
30.3.1 Carbonation................................................................................................. 1227
30.3.2 Chloride Action........................................................................................... 1232
30.3.3 Crack Generation........................................................................................ 1233
30.3.4 Concrete Restoration................................................................................ 1234
30.4 Wood Preservation...............................................................................1237
30.4.1 Installation Situations............................................................................... 1238
30.4.2 Natural Durability of Wood..................................................................... 1239
30.4.3 General Objectives of Preventive Wood-Preservation
Measures....................................................................................................... 1241
30.4.4 Types of Preventive Wood-Preservation Measures........................ 1243
Bibliography............................................................................................1267
1 I

Constructional
Design
Contents

Chapter 1 Constructional Design – 3


3 1

Constructional Design

© Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2024


J. L. Moro, Building-Construction Design – From Principle to Detail,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-61742-7_1
Contents

1.1 The Concept of Constructional Design – 5


1.1.1  anufacturing Buildings – 5
M
1.1.2 Definition of the Term “Constructional Design” – 6

1.2 The Process of Constructional Design – 7


1.2.1  lanning, Conceptual, and Constructional Design – 9
P
1.2.2 Phases of the Constructional-Design Process – 9
1.2.3 Methodology of Constructional Design – 11

1.3 Conceptual and Constructional Design – 13


1.3.1 Influence of Constructional Upon
Conceptual Design – 13
1.3.2 Influence of Conceptual Upon
Constructional Design – 18
1.3.3 Harmonisation of Conceptual
and Constructional Design – 19
1.3.4 Present-Day Circumstances – 19

1.4 Principles of Constructional Design – 20


1.4.1 F undamentals – 20
1.4.2 Historical and Modern Principles of
Constructional Design – 20
1.4.3 The Path from Principle to Working
Detail and Vice Versa – 21

Bibliography – 22
1.1 · The Concept of Constructional Design
5 1
1.1 The Concept of Constructional Design

1.1.1 Manufacturing Buildings

Shelters suitable for human dwelling used to be only very sel-


dom readily available to humans in the natural environment
but needed to be constructed following a more or less complex
technical manufacturing process. For this purpose, suitable
building materials had to be obtained and processed, and parts
made from them had to be assembled to generate a complete
structure. Contemporary buildings are always technically man-
ufactured without exception—especially due to the high stan-
dards that are associated today with the regular usage of a
building.
A characteristic feature which distinguishes the vast major-
ity of building constructions from other man-made technical
objects—like utensils, computers, aircraft, or automobiles—is
its static character, which ties it to a specific location during its
complete service life. While ordinary buildings used to be
mostly constructed from locally available materials applying
manual manufacture and construction methods, the industri-
alisation of building construction brought about a pre-­
processing of some building materials as well as a prefabrication
of (at least) some building components. Both processes, for the
first time in history, took place not in the close vicinity of the
building site, but somewhere else, namely at the location of the
stationary manufacture plant. Hence, the pre-processed mate-
rials or pre-assembled components needed to be transported to
the building site in order for the buildingto be erected eventu-
ally. Therefore, one of the special features of the construction
of contemporary buildings is the clear distinction between the
shop manufacturing, the transportation to the building site, and
the on-site works. For this reason, in the technical terminology,
the term production of buildings usually subsumes the follow-
ing three phases:
55 manufacture in the factory
55 transportation from the factory to the building site
55 erection on the building site

Therefore, the term manufacturing, which is used in other tech-


nology sectors for all production processes, should be applied
in the construction industry only to the processes taking place
in the factory. 1

1 For this reason, the classification of manufacturing processes according


to DIN 8580 (. Fig. 1.1) must be adapted to the conditions in the build-
ing industry. This means first of all that we must speak of manufacturing
processes in the true sense of the word and that these individual pro-
cesses must be clearly distinguished with regard to the place where they
take place: in the factory or on the construction site. (Vol. 3, Chap. 43,
Sect. 43.4 Connections for Primary Load-Bearing Structures – Some Spe-
cial Features). In in-situ concrete construction, for example, the primary
6 Chapter 1 · Constructional Design

1.1.2 Definition of the Term “Constructional


1 Design”

The classification of the operations involved in the manufac-


turing process makes evident that the latter is always connected
with a:
DIN 8580 55 Transformation of selected, suitable materials: effected by
their shaping, if need be, involving a change of their mate-
rial properties, as well as in most cases by a:
55 Joining of individual components made from these materials
to make up a complete building

The resulting overall structure is called the construction of a


building:
Merriam Webster Dictionary »» construction: from lat. construere “pile, build, heap together”
It must be noted that, in the building trade, this term has mul-
tiple meanings. It means not only the actual process of erec-
tion, the construction process, but also the following:
55 The final assembled product, the erected structure; in order
to give expression to the peculiarities of constructions in
the building industry, the term building construction is also
used
55 The style or method used in assembling the final product
55 The building activity considered as an industry

The term constructional design denotes the following:


55 The planning and preparation of:
55 The shaping of individual components from a particular
selected material, that is, the definition of their geometry, as
well as, if need be
55 The technical influencing of their material properties
55 The mutual arrangement of individual components within
the general layout of the building structure, that is, the defi-
nition of the whole building’s geometry
55 The type of juncture between individual components

In order to understand the special features of this planning


process, in which the characteristics of the building as a techni-
cal structure are definitively defined in all their details, the pro-
cess of construction design (. Fig. 1.1) will be examined in its
most important stages in more detail below.

forming (main group 1), i.e. the pouring of the concrete, takes place at
the construction site. With most assembly methods, part of the joining
(main group 4) takes place in the factory (factory joints), the rest on the
construction site (erection joints).
1.2 · The Process of Constructional Design
7 1
main groups

1 primary shaping

2 forming

3 cutting

manufacturing process

4 joining

5 coating

6 changing material property

..      Fig. 1.1 Classification of the manufacturing processes according to DIN 8580. The procedure 4 “Joining” is the
subject of Chap. XII Joining (Chapters 43 to 50) in Volume 3 of this book. In the construction industry, some of
these operations usually take place in the factory and some on the construction site (Image rights: Author)

1.2 The Process of Constructional Design

The process of constructional design is embedded within the Honorarordnung für Archi-
general design process of the building. According to the termi- tekten und Ingenieure (HOAI,
nology of the German official fee regulations (HOAI), which German fee regulations for
will be used as an example here, it constitutes a work phase architects and engineers)
which basically coincides with the phase 5 Detailed Design. Fee
scales of other countries do not differ significantly in this
respect. The diagram on . Fig. 1.2 depicts the planning pro-
cess according to the HOAI. By the size of the fields and the
percental figures, it shows the respective shares of the phases
from the total performance. At the same time, it shows graphi-
cally that considerations about constructional issues exert an
influence upon other working phases. This can either happen
by anticipating certain constructional decisions during early
design phases—this takes place, so to say, within the main
design flow—or through iteration steps, that is through loops
which lead back to an earlier design stage (having gained more
knowledge, however). This extraordinarily important issue will In 7 Sect. 1.2.3 Methodology
be addressed again later. of Constructional Design
8 Chapter 1 · Constructional Design

1 Basic research 3%
1
2 Preliminary design (project and planning preparation)

7%

3 Overall design (system and integration planning)

11%

4 Approval planning

6%

5 Detailed design

Iteration
25%

6 Preparation of the contract award

10%

7 Participation in the contract award process


4%

8 Object supervision (construction supervision)

31%

9 Object support and documentation 3%

..      Fig. 1.2 Work phases according to HOAI §15. Representation of the plan-
ning process in building planning with the corresponding percentage share of
the overall task list. The core phase and the area of influence of construction
design are represented in graded shades of grey (Image rights: Author)
1.2 · The Process of Constructional Design
9 1
1.2.1  lanning, Conceptual, and Constructional
P
Design

Before analysing more closely the process of constructional


design, it is advisable to at least tentatively draw a distinction
between the concepts of planning, conceptual, and construc-
tional design. The building-related terminology is not totally
unambiguous on this matter. From the general language use,
the following conclusions can be drawn:
55 Planning usually means the general process of mental formu- Definition according to Mer-
lation and is not necessarily confined to defining a building riam Webster’s Dictionary of
structure, not even a physical object. One also plans a weekend Synonyms, 1984
trip. Planning engulfs all areas of human life in which certain
processes are liable to be governed by systematic anticipation.
55 Conceptual design is, in contrast, more confined to the uni- Conceptual design: “Designing
vocal and comprehensive definition of a general building involves devising, planning,
pattern in the usual parlance of the building trade. Concep- controlling, and monitoring
tual design, in this context, means defining the general lines the design process” (VDI 2223,
and the general disposition of the building following a spe- Glossary)
cific overall concept, i.e. a defined and distinguishable idea
or intention which establishes a recognisable, meaningful
connection between its parts or partial features. Often an
artistic connotation is implied by this term which sometimes
in architecture is considered the distinguishing mark of
conceptual design against planning.
55 Constructional design expresses, as already noted, the com- Constructional design: “The
prehensive and detailed technical and geometrical defini- totality of all activities with
tion of a building structure in regard to material, which the information neces-
connections, and production. sary for producing and using a
product is elaborated, starting
Simplifying, planning may be considered the general term with a task, and ending with
which comprehends both conceptual and constructional design. the definition of the product
The latter terms in turn denote two planning phases with spe- documentation. These activi-
cific nature, which however are closely interrelated. ties include the pre-material
composition of the individual
functions and parts of a prod-
1.2.2 Phases of the Constructional-Design uct, the assemblage to a whole,
Process and the specification of all the
details” (VDI 2221, 6., Terms)
Similarly to the HOAI, which subdivides the whole planning
process into different phases, the process of constructional
design may also be partitioned into several stages. It should not
be forgotten, however, that these subdivisions are mere rather
coarse-grained models which are intended to render a contribu-
tion to a deeper structuring, systematising, and awareness of
the procedures. They are supposed to be an expedient for more
streamlined and efficient working but should never hamper the
free flow of individual focused reflection and creative thinking,
which are (now as ever) the basis of any successful planning,
and hence constructional design, process.
10 Chapter 1 · Constructional Design

Following constructional-design-related scientific papers,2 four


1 main phases of the constructional design process can be distin-
guished as follows:
55 Clarification of the task: The task mainly consists in defin-
ing the general framework and the requirements for trans-
forming the already existing general design pre-sets into a
detailed material structure or derive requirements or tasks
that the design has to fulfil. These serve as guidelines for
their implementation in detailed design, which takes place
step by step in the following phases:
55 Conception: This phase constitutes an important abstrac-
tion process within the constructional design, by which:
–– The main problems which need to be solved are formulated.
Principle of effect: “Principle –– Suitable physical and mechanical operational principles,
according to which an effect which can also be termed effectual principles, or mecha-
occurs” (VDI 2223, Glossary) nisms of action, are sought for which might solve the prob-
lems at stake. Operational principles denote the physical
effect as well as the main physical and material attributes
which seem suitable for fulfilling a particular function.
Principle: “Initiation, which –– A solution principle or concept is selected which, based
determines everything ema- on the selected operational principle, implements a fur-
nating from it, the origin, the ther step towards the materialisation of the construction.
maxim (VDI 2221:1993–05, 6. –– Solution variants are defined which formulate the con-
Terms) “General strategy or crete technical realisation of the chosen solution princi-
general principle that shapes ple (as mentioned).
action in the development
process”. (VDI 2221:2019–11, The working phase of conception is an extraordinarily
2. Terms) important methodological step since it makes sure already
in the preliminary stages that the step from the problem and
the requirements to the concrete constructional solution is
Cf. 7 Sect. 1.4. Principles of not taken too quickly, so to say following a reflex of habit,
Constructional Design recurring to conventional expedients, without exploring the
whole gamut of conceivable solution principles. The impor-
tant abstraction process connected with conception—
Cf. 7 Sect. 1.2.1 Planning, besides examining different principles of action, which are,
Conceptual and Constructional however, not always available—centres upon the analysis of
Design alternative solution principles which, in turn, open up a
broad variety of constructional solutions. The field of solu-
“A permanent and successful tions thus made available sharpens the designer’s perception
constructional solution origi- and considerably broadens his chances of success. It is espe-
nates in the choice of the most cially to this particular, central conceptual working phase
practical principle and not in that this book intends to make a contribution to, by in each
the overemphasis of construc- case showing and discussing alternative abstract solution
tional subtleties”3 principles before proceeding to the definitive execution.
55 Design of the construction: Considering all mentioned cave-
3 Ibid., p. 88.
ats regarding the usual parlance, this term can be applied to
the definitive fixing of the construction’s shape with its fun-
damental technical and geometrical features. This equates
to determining the final constructional solution.

2 Pahl, (1997) Konstruktionslehre, p. 85.


1.2 · The Process of Constructional Design
11 1
55 Development: During this final phase, the definitive and
detailed parameters regarding geometry, material, surface
finishing, connection, manufacturing, erection, etc. are
elaborated and mandatorily prescribed.

1.2.3 Methodology of Constructional Design

The diagram on . Fig. 1.3 schematically represents the pro-


cess of constructional design as a sequence of single working
steps (right) as well as in the form of a flow chart (left) depict-
ing a sequence of working and decision steps. At every shunt, it
must be decided whether:
55 Work should proceed on the basis of already elaborated
information.
55 It should instead return to a previous work phase through Iteration: “A return in the
an iteration step. This only seemingly appears to be a waste development process to the
of time since, although apparently a regression of the plan- same problem level” (VDI
ning process is happening, the designer however enters it 2223, Glossary)
again on a higher information level and consequently has
gained a more consistent basis for further decisions than he
had before. Conversely, it cannot be denied that any itera-
tion loop implies consuming resources and should be
avoided whenever possible.

This apparently jumpy iterative process, which to non-­


professionals sometimes appears irritating, is characteristic of
any kind of planning work and needs to be handled by the
designer in a skilled manner. The diagram on . Fig. 1.4 shows
a simplified version of a typical iteration loop with the corre-
sponding questions and decision steps. In practical action, the
question whether to pursue a particular idea or to discard it
instead and to begin anew poses itself continually.
There are multiple supporting, systematic methods avail-
able which cannot be comprehensively discussed in this con-
text. It should be merely underlined that there is a general
benefit from a systematic course of action by which:
55 First, variance is generated, thus initially extending the
range of viable solutions as much as possible (brainstorm-
ing, morphologies, catalogues).
55 Subsequently, this variance is reduced by meditated and
well-founded methods of evaluation and selection and nar-
rowed down to a single optimised solution (assessment
method).

Below, the crucial importance of identifying and handling


abstract constructional solution principles will be addressed
again in a more detailed manner.
12 Chapter 1 · Constructional Design

1 conditions from the


building design

clarifying
clarifying the task

the task
elaboration of the list of requirements

defining the list of requirements


approval for conception

conceptual design

optimising the principle


developing the basic solution

identifying the main problems


determining the functions
search for effect principles and effect structures
concretising to basic solution variants
evaluating according to technical and economic criteria

determining the basic solution


approval for design of the construction

developing the building structure

rough outlining: give shape, select material, calculate


selecting suitable rough designs

Iteration
fine tuning of the preliminary design
concretising to basic solution variants
evaluating according to technical and economic criteria

designing the construction


defining the provisional design
approval for final design

optimising the design


final design of the building structure

optimising the production


debugging
checking for errors
manufacturing and assembly instructions

defining the final design


approval for elaboration

development of the execution documents


elaboration

elaborating the production, transport and assembly documents


checking the execution documents

definition of the manufacturing documentation


approval for production

finished construction

..      Fig. 1.3 Schematic representation of the construction-design process as flowchart with indication of the main
work phases (Pahl, (1997) Konstruktionslehre, p. 85). The phase of developing the basic solution is often skipped
during constructional design. This book intends to make a contribution to this phase in particular (Image rights:
Author)
1.3 · Conceptual and Constructional Design
13 1
or start at an
earlier work

iteration loop

previous work step repeat work step at higher information level

yes
no is it promising to repeat the work
results satisfactory in terms of objectives?
step with reasonable effort?
yes no

next scheduled work step stop development

main working line

..      Fig. 1.4 Schematic representation of an iteration step in the planning or construction-design process as flow
chart (Pahl, (1997) Konstruktionslehre, p. 85) (Image rights: Author)

1.3 Conceptual and Constructional Design

From the present considerations so far, it can be inferred that


the general building design—it will be henceforth referred to
simply as the design scheme—can actually be distinguished
from the constructional design what its subject matter and its
occurrence in time is concerned, but that it is closely inter-
twined with it, nonetheless. Due to their great relevance, these
interdependencies will undergo a closer inspection hereafter.

1.3.1 I nfluence of Constructional Upon


Conceptual Design

Constructional solutions available within a specific context,


which always are dependent on:
55 Material
55 Technology
55 Cost

need to be anticipated in early design stages in order for the


scheme to be implemented during the execution phase without
impediments, according to the chosen conception, in an aes-
thetically satisfying manner, and within the given time and cost
frame.
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
“You had better not say any more,” she interrupted; “you will only
make matters worse.” Then added with a dawning smile, “It is what I
always do myself. I speak from experience.”
“Promise me one thing,” he urged—“that you will not drop me
when you are weeding out your acquaintance.”
“Pray, why should I drop you? My new rule does not apply to you.
Are you a millionaire?” And she broke into a laugh.
A keener observer than the young lady would have noticed a
shade of embarrassment in his glance as, after a moment’s
hesitation, he said—
“I am quite an old Indian friend now, at any rate—almost your first
acquaintance.”
“Yes, I admit all that; but you must not presume on our ancient
friendship. I warn you solemnly that the next time you laugh at me—
laugh until you actually cry—our relations will be—strained.”

It was becoming dark, the fires were visibly increasing on the


distant hills, the first mess bugle had gone. There was a general
getting into rickshaws, and calling for ponies, and presently the club
was empty, the formidable verandahs deserted, and all the red-
capped little tennis-boys went trooping home.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE TABLE OF PRECEDENCE.

Time wore on; Honor was becoming familiarized with her new
surroundings, had picked up some useful Hindustani words, made a
round of calls, and shown that she had no mean skill at tennis. And
Mrs. Brande had demonstrated that she was not a woman of words
only. She had given young Jervis a general and urgent invitation to
her house—moreover, he found favour in her husband’s eyes. He
was a fine, well-set-up, gentlemanly young fellow, a keen tennis
player, with no haw-haw humbug about him, therefore the
Honourable Pelham heartily endorsed his wife’s hospitality.
As for Captain Waring, alas! the three days’ travelling intimacy—
like steamer friendships—had flickered, and flickered, and sunk
down, and died. Mrs. Brande’s state-dinners were unimpeachable,
but desperately dull; and she was not in the “smart” set; her niece
was far too downright and raw; her sincere grey eyes had a way of
looking at him that made him feel uncomfortable—a blasé, world-
battered, selfish mortal. She had a sharp tongue, too, and no
fortune; therefore he went over to the enemy’s camp, and followed
the standard of Mrs. Langrishe.

The first grand entertainment at which Honor had appeared was a


large, solemn dinner-party, given by the chief medical officer in
Shirani. There were to be thirty guests. This much Mrs. Brande’s
cook had gleaned from Mrs. Loyd’s khansamah when he came to
borrow jelly-tins and ice-spoons. Mrs. Brande delighted in these
formal dinners, where she could enjoy herself most thoroughly as
chief guest and experienced critic; and she looked forward to this
feast with what seemed to her niece an almost infantile degree of
glee and happy anticipation.
Mr. Brande was absent, but even had he been at home he was
never enthusiastic respecting these functions. His wife had
complained to Mrs. Sladen, “that he got into his evening clothes and
bad humour at one and the same time,” save when he dined at
home.
“You will wear your white silk, Honor,” observed her aunt, “and I
my new pink brocade, with the white lace. I’m really curious to see
what sort of a turn-out Mrs. Loyd will have. She has the Blacks’ old
cook, and they never gave a decent dinner; but then Mrs. Black was
stingy—she grudged a glass of wine for sauce, and never allowed
more than half an anna a head for soup-meat. Now Mrs. Loyd is
getting up fish from Bombay, so I fancy she means to do the thing
properly. Have you ever been to a dinner-party, child?”
“No; not what you would call a party—six at the most; but I have
come in after dinner.”
“Fie! fie! that is poor fun,” cried Mrs. Brande, with great scorn. “I
should just like to see any one asking my niece to come after dinner!
I wonder who will take you in? I know most of the people who are
going, for I always read their names in the peon’s book when I get
invitations. There will be Captain Waring, and young Jervis, and Sir
Gloster Sandilands. I hope Captain Waring will take you in.”
“Oh, I hope not, aunt; he and I do not suit one another at all.”
“Why not?” rather sharply.
“I’ve not sufficient ‘go’ in me. I can’t talk about the people he
knows. I’m not smart, or up to date. I can’t say amusing things like
Miss Paske; I am merely a stupid little country mouse!”
“And she is a little cat!” with a quick nod. “Well, I must say I’d fifty
times rather have Jervis myself. He has such nice manners—
different to other young men, who come to my house, and eat and
drink of the best, and scarcely look at me afterwards. There was that
Thorpe; he never even got off his chair when I spoke to him at the
club. I know I’m not a lady born—my father was a wheelwright—but
he and his had been in the same place three hundred years. Still, I
have my feelings, and that Thorpe, though he may be a lord’s son, is
no gentleman. He thought I was deaf, and I heard him say to a man,
when I was on his arm—
“‘I’m going to supper the old girl.’
“‘Not this old girl, thank you, sir,’ said I, and I drew back and went
and sat down again. ’Ow he does ’ate me, to be sure. Well, Honor, I
wish you a pleasant partner, for these dinners are long affairs.”
“Are they indeed, aunt? I am sorry to hear it.”
“If they bring the entrées in after the joint, which is new-fashioned
and leading to mistakes, we are stuck for two mortal hours. These
native servants are the ten plagues of Egypt. Once—oh lor! I shall
never forget the lady’s face—I saw a man handing round mashed
potatoes as an entrée—all alone! Once I saw a wretch offering
mustard in a breakfast-cup, and the mistress having splendid silver
cruet-stands. Of course he had some spite against her. It’s on these
occasions they pay you out, when they know you are tied hand and
foot. As for myself, I am all right, being senior lady—the doctor takes
me. Mrs. Langrishe for once will be nowhere, for the Loyds (she
being a commissioner’s daughter) know what’s what. They have the
rules of precedence at their fingers’ ends, but anyway I can always
lend them this,” and she took up a book bound in blue paper, and
began to read aloud—
“‘All wives take place according to the rank assigned to their
respective husbands.’ Do they indeed!” she snorted. “I’d like to know
how many times Mrs. Langrishe has walked through that rule? Now
my husband, being a member of council, comes next to a bishop. Do
you see, Honor?”
“Yes, Aunt Sara.”
“Whilst Mrs. Langrishe ranks below political agents of twelve
years’ standing. And I’m not at all sure that she ought to go in before
the educational department, second class.”
“No, aunt,” replied Honor, endeavouring to look wise, and
marvelling much at Mrs. Brande’s enthusiasm. Her colour had risen,
her eyes shone, as she energetically brandished the pamphlet in her
hand.
The great day arrived at last. People in Shirani did not give long
invitations, and Mrs. Brande, in her new pink brocade, wearing all
her diamonds, and a cap with three lofty pink plumes, departed in
good time along with her niece, who wore her new white silk, and
brought her violin—by special request.
Mrs. Loyd received them with effusion, the room was half full of
the élite of Shirani wearing their best clothes, and their blandest
official manners. Honor noticed Major and Mrs. Langrishe, Sir
Gloster Sandilands, Captain Waring, Mr. Jervis, Captain Noble, the
Padre and his wife, the Cantonment Magistrate and his wife, the
Colonel commanding the Scorpions, and many others. It was a most
solemn official party. Presently the dining-room door was flung wide,
and a magnificent servant salaamed and said—
“Khana, mez pur;” i.e. “dinner is served.”
Mrs. Brande half rose from her seat, and smiled encouragingly at
her host.
But—what was this? He was offering his arm to an insignificant
little person in black, who was barely thirty years of age, and a
complete stranger! Mrs. Brande, as she subsequently expressed it,
“turned goose-flesh all over.”
What an affront, before the whole station, or at least the best part
of it; and there was Mrs. Langrishe looking at her with, oh! such an
odious smile. Well, at any rate she would not give her the
satisfaction of seeing her break down or fly out. That smile was a
stimulant, and rising, after some moments’ distinctly perceptible
hesitation—during which the spectators almost held their breath—
she accepted the escort of the gentleman who had humbly bowed
himself before her, and with a dangerous-looking toss of her plumes,
surged slowly into the dining-room.
She was conducted to a conspicuous place; but what of that?
Nothing—no, not even a gilded chair, with a coronet on the back,
would now appease or please her. Declining soup with a haughty
gesture, she leant back and gazed about her scornfully. Yes, there
was a distinct smell of Kerosine oil—one of the Khitmatghars wore a
dirty coat; that was Mrs. Sladen’s claret jug, and most of the forks
were borrowed. As for the dinner, she sent away dish after dish with
ill-concealed contempt, slightly varying the monotony of this
proceeding by leaving conspicuous helpings untasted on her plate—
knowing well, that such behaviour is pain and grief to a hostess.
Even the host noticed her scanty appetite, and remarked in his loud
cheery voice—
“Why, Mrs. Brande, you are eating nothing.”
“Indeed,” she leant forward and called out, “I’m so far from you, I
wonder you can notice it;” adding to this extremely ungracious reply,
“I’ve no appetite this evening,” and she flung herself once more back
in her chair, and waved her fan to and fro, passionately—not to say
furiously.
There, to aggravate her still further, was that Lalla Paske opposite,
sitting between Sir Gloster and Captain Waring, and ogling and
carrying on. Little reptile! she would like to throw a plate at her.
Honor was on Sir Gloster’s other hand, looking, as her aunt mentally
noted, very “distangay” and animated. The baronet seemed to be
greatly struck, and talked away incessantly; and this was the one
miserable crumb of comfort on which the poor lady dined!
Honor was not too engrossed with her own affairs not to notice
that her aunt appeared most dreadfully put out about something, and
was looking exceedingly flushed and angry.
In fact, Miss Paske—good-natured, kind little soul—leant over, and
said to her, “Have you noticed Mrs. Brande? Does she not look
extraordinary? Her face is so red, and swelled up, I really believe
she is going to have a fit of some sort! She is neither eating nor
speaking.”
However, during dessert Mrs. Brande found her tongue. There
was a general discussion on the subject of Christian names, and
some one said that “Honor was a nice old-fashioned one.”
“Oh,” cried Lalla, “I think it hideous! You don’t mind, do you, Miss
Gordon? How angry I should have been if my godfathers and
godmothers had given it to me! It has such an abrupt sound, and is
so very goody-goody.”
Mrs. Brande, who had hitherto refused to talk to her neighbour,
even in the most ordinary way, to discuss the weather, the great
diamond case, or the state of the rupee, now suddenly burst out—
“Anyway, it has a decent meaning; and if it is goody-goody, yours
is not. I believe there was once a Miss Rooke, who had the same
name, and was fond of play-acting and singing, and by all accounts
no great shakes.”
In just alarm, Mrs. Loyd made a hasty signal, and the ladies arose
as if worked by one spring, and departed into the drawing-room in a
body. Mrs. Brande immediately seated herself in a large armchair,
where she sat aloof and alone, looking stern and unapproachable,
as she slowly turned over an album of photographs. The book was
upside down, but this was evidently immaterial.
Vainly did Mrs. Loyd come and stand before her, and abase
herself; vainly did she endeavour to propitiate her. Poor deluded little
woman!—it was mere waste of time and breath to praise Mrs.
Brande’s dress, Mrs. Brande’s niece, or even to beg for a recipe for
chutney.
“I can give you a recipe for manners,” observed the outraged
matron, in an awful tone; “I will send you the table of precedence,
and I will write to you to-morrow.”
On hearing this terrible threat, Mrs. Loyd’s blood ran cold,—for she
was a woman of peace,—and at this juncture the men appeared
slouching in by twos and threes—as is their wont. They discovered
the ladies scattered in couples about the room, all save one, who sat
in solitary majesty.
Captain Waring sauntered over to Lalla, and remarked, as he
glanced significantly at Mrs. Brande, who was motionless as a cloud
on a hot summer’s day—a cloud charged with electricity, “When I
look round I am inclined to say with the kind-hearted child, when he
was shown Doré’s picture, ‘There is one poor lion who has got no
Christian!’”
“She is by no means so badly off as you imagine,” rejoined Lalla
with a demure face. “She has nearly eaten the hostess—does she
not look ferocious? Whom shall we throw to her for a fresh victim?
She is frightfully angry because she was not taken in to dinner first.
Poor creature, she has so very little dignity, that she is always taking
the greatest care of it. Hurrah! Hurrah! She is actually going. Oh, I
am enormously amused.”
Yes, Mrs. Brande had already risen to depart. If not taken in first,
she was firmly resolved to take this matter into her own hands, and
to be the first to leave.
It was in vain that meek Mrs. Loyd pleaded that it was only half-
past nine, that every one was looking forward to hearing Miss
Gordon play, that she had promised to bring her violin.
“Surely, Mrs. Brande, you will not be so cruel as to take her away
and disappoint the whole company!” urged Mrs. Loyd pathetically. “I
am told that her violin-playing is marvellous.”
“The company have seen Miss Gordon’s aunt playing second
fiddle all the evening, and that must content them for the present,”
retorted Mrs. Brande, who was already in the verandah, robed in a
superb long cloak, the very fur of which seemed to catch something
of its owner’s spirit, and to bristle up about her ears, as with a
sweeping inclination, and beckoning to Honor to follow her, she
swept down the steps.
All the way home, and as they rolled along side by side, Mrs.
Brande gave vent to her wrath, and allowed her injured feelings fair
play. “Precedence” was her hobby, her one strong point. A woman
might rob her, slander her, even strike her, sooner than walk out of a
room before her. She assured her awestruck niece that she would
write to “P.” before she slept that night, and unless she received an
ample apology, the matter should go up to the Viceroy! What was the
use of people getting on in the service, and earning rewards by
years of hard work in bad climates and deadly jungles, if any one
who liked might kick them down the ladder, as she had been kicked
that evening!
“What,” she angrily continued, with voice pitched half an octave
higher, “was the value of these appointments, or was it child’s play,
and a new game? It would be a dear game to some people!”
She arrived at this conclusion and her own door simultaneously,
and flinging off her wrap, and snatching a lamp from a terrified
khitmatghar (who saw that the Mem Sahib was “Bahout Kuffa”), she
hurried into her husband’s sanctum, and returned with a book.
“What was that person’s name, Honor?” she inquired; “did you
happen to hear it?—the woman who was taken in first?”
“Mrs. Ringrose, I believe.”
“Ringrose, Ringrose,” hunting through the leaves with feverish
haste. “Ye-es, here it is.”
“James—Walter—Ringrose—he is a member of council in
Calcutta, and just one week senior to P.!” and she gazed at her niece
with a face almost devoid of colour, and the expression of a naughty
child who is desperately ashamed of herself. “So I’ve been in a
tantrum, and missed my dinner and a pleasant evening, all for
nothing! Well, to be sure, I’ve been a fine old fool,” throwing the book
on the table. “But what brings Calcutta people up here?” she
demanded pettishly.
“I think she is sister to some one in Shirani, and her husband has
gone on to the snows, and left her here. Dear Aunt Sara,” continued
Honor playfully, “why do you trouble your head about precedence?
How can it matter how you go in to a meal, or where you sit?”
“My dear child, it’s in my very blood. I can’t help it; it is meat and
drink to me; it is what a lover is to a girl, a coronet to a duchess, a
medal to a soldier—it’s the outward and visible sign of P.’s deserts—
and mine. And the sight of another woman sitting in my lawful place
just chokes me. ‘A woman takes rank according to her husband,’ that
seemed to be ringing in my ears all the evening. How was I to know
her husband was in council too? However, I went in to dinner, that’s
one comfort.” (It had not been much comfort to her cavalier). “At first
I was in two minds to go straight home. I remember hearing of three
ladies at a party, who each expected to go in with the host, and when
he took one, the others got up and walked off supperless.”
“I think they were extremely foolish—they ought to have taken
each other in arm-in-arm; it’s what I should have done,” said Honor
emphatically.
“Yes, young people don’t care; but I can no more change than a
leopard his skin, and a nigger his spots—well, you know what I
mean. I am not always such a stickler, though—for instance, this
very winter, when I happened to go into the ladies’ club at Alijore,
and no one stood up to receive me, I took no notice, though I was so
hurt that I scarcely closed an eye that night. Kiss me, dearie, and
forgive me, as one of the party, for breaking up so early, and spoiling
every one’s pleasure” (a supreme flight of imagination). “Maybe
some day you will be touchy too.”
“Perhaps I may, but not about rank and precedence. Surely there
is no precedence in heaven.”
“I’m not so certain of that,” rejoined Mrs. Brande; “an archangel is
above an angel. However, I may leave my proud thoughts behind, for
I shall have a lowly place—if I ever get there at all. Now, dear, I’m
just starving; a morsel of fish and a spoonful of aspic was all I had.
So call Bahadar Ali to get me some cold turkey and ham, and a
glass of claret. Maybe you would take a pick too?”
“No indeed, thank you. I had a capital dinner.”
“And you found your partner pleasant?—a rising young civilian. I
nursed him through typhoid, and I know him well. He draws twelve
hundred a month. If you married him you would take the pas of Mrs.
Langrishe.”
“Dear Auntie,” bursting out into a peal of laughter, “how funny you
are! I am not going to marry any one; you must deliver me at home a
single young woman.”
“What nonsense! However,” as if struck by a happy thought, “you
might be engaged and still single; I saw you talking to Sir Gloster
——”
“Yes, he is rather agreeable—he was telling me about his tour
among the old cities of the Deccan. And——”
“And I noticed Miss Lalla trying to put in her spoon. What a
pushing little monkey she is—her aunt’s very double!”

To show her penitence, instead of the letter she had threatened—


which lay like a nightmare on poor Mrs. Loyd—Mrs. Brande sent
restitution the next day in the form of a dozen pine-apples and a
basket of fresh eggs. They were gladly accepted as peace-offerings,
and Mrs. Loyd heard no more about “the table of precedence.”
CHAPTER XIX.
LET US TELL THE TRUTH.

A month had elapsed, and Shirani was as full and as gay as Miss
Paske had predicted—there were dinners, dances, balls, theatricals,
and picnics.
Visitors had shaken down into sets, and discovered whom they
liked and whom they did not like. In a short hill season there is no
time to waste on long-drawn-out overtures to acquaintance; besides,
in India, society changes so rapidly, and has so many mutual friends
—the result of so many different moves—that people know each
other as intimately in six months as they would in six years in
England. There were “sets” in Shirani, though not aggressively
defined: the acting and musical set, which numbered as stars Miss
Paske and Mr. Joy; also Captain Dashwood, of the Dappled
Hussars; Mrs. Rolland, who had once been a matchless actress, but
was now both deaf and quarrelsome; and many other lesser lights.
Then there was the “smart” set, headed by Mrs. Langrishe, who
wore dresses more suitable to Ascot than the Hymalayas; drank tea
with each other, dined with each other—talked peerage, and
discussed London gossip; looked down on many of their neighbours,
and spoke of them as being “scarcely human,” and were altogether
quite painfully exclusive.
There was the “fast” set—men who played high at the club, betted
on races in England (per wire); enjoyed big nights and bear fights,
and occasionally went down without settling their club account!
And even Mrs. Brande had a set—yes, positively her own little
circle for the first time in her life—and was a proud and happy
woman.
“It made a wonderful difference having a girl in the house,” she
remarked at least twice a day to “P.,” and “P.,” strange to say,
received the well-worn observation without a sarcastic rejoinder.
Certainly Honor had made a change at Rookwood. She had
prevailed on her aunt to allow her to cover the green rep drawing-
room suite with pretty cretonne, to banish the round table with its
circle of books dealt out like a pack of cards, to arrange flowers and
grasses in profusion, and to have tea in the verandah. Honor played
tennis capitally, and her uncle, instead of going to the club,
inaugurated sets at home, and these afternoons began to have quite
a reputation. There were good courts, good players—excellent
refreshments. Mrs. Brande’s strawberries and rich yellow cream
were renowned; and people were eager for standing invitations to
Rookwood “Tuesdays” and “Saturdays.” Besides Mr. Brande and his
niece—hosts in themselves—there were Sir Gloster, Mrs. Sladen,
the Padré and his wife, and young Jervis, who were regular
habitués. There were tournaments and prizes, and a briskness and
“go” about these functions that made them the most popular
entertainments in Shirani, and folk condescended to fish
industriously for what they would once have scorned, viz.:
—“invitations to Mother Brande’s afternoons.”
Captain Waring was tired of Shirani, though he had met many pals
—played polo three times a week, and whist six times, until the small
hours. Although invited out twice as much as any other bachelor, and
twice as popular as his cousin, indeed he and his cousin—as he
remarked with a roar of laughter—“were not in the same set.”
(Nor, for that matter, were Mrs. Langrishe and her niece in the
same set; for Lalla was “theatrical” and her aunt was “smart.”)
Captain Waring and his companion lived together in Haddon Hall,
with its world-wide reputation for smoking chimneys; but although
they resided under the same roof, they saw but little of one another.
Waring had the best rooms, an imposing staff of crest-emblazoned
servants. Jervis lived in two small apartments, and the chief of his
retinue was a respectable grey-bearded bearer, Jan Mahomed by
name, who looked cheap. Jervis spent most of his time taking long
walks or rides—shooting or sketching with some young fellows in the
Scorpions—or up at Rookwood, where he dined at least thrice a
week and spent all his Sundays, and where he had been warmly
received by Ben, and adopted into the family as his “uncle”! No
words, however many and eloquent, could more strongly indicate
how highly he stood in Mr. and Mrs. Brande’s good graces. To be
Ben’s “uncle” almost implied that they looked upon him as an
adopted son.
Frequently days elapsed, and Clarence and his companion
scarcely saw one another, save at polo. Mark kept early hours and
was up betimes—indeed, occasionally he was up and dressed ere
his cousin had gone to bed.
One afternoon, however, he found him evidently awaiting his
arrival, sitting in the verandah, and not as usual at the club card-
table.
“Hullo, Mark! what a gay young bird you are, always going out,
always on the wing—never at home!”
“The same to you,” said the other cheerily.
“Well, I just wanted to see you and catch you for a few minutes,
old chap. I’m getting beastly sick of this place—we have been here
nearly six weeks—I vote, as the policeman says, we ‘move on.’”
“Move where?” was the laconic inquiry.
“To Simla, to be sure! the club here is just a mere rowdy pot-
house. I never saw such rotten polo! My best pony is lame—gone in
the shoulder. I believe that little beggar Byng stuck me; and besides
this, Miss Potter—the girl with the black eyes and twelve hundred a
year—is going away.”
“To Simla?” expressively.
“Yes. She does not want to move, but the people she is with, the
Athertons, are off, and of course she is bound to go with them. That
girl likes me—she believes in me.”
“Do you think she believes that you are what they call you here, a
millionaire?”
“What a grossly coarse way of putting it! Well, I should not be
surprised if she did!”
“Then if that is the case, don’t you think the sooner you undeceive
her the better!”
“Excellent high-minded youth! But why?”
“Because it strikes me that we have played this little game long
enough.”
“And you languish for the good old board ship and Poonah days
over again! Shall we publish who is really who, in the papers, and
send a little ‘para’ to the Pioneer?” with angry sarcasm.
“No; but don’t you see that when I took what you called a ‘back
seat,’ I never supposed it would develop into a regular sort of society
fraud, or lead us on to such an extent. I’m always on the point of
blurting out something about money, and pulling myself up. If I speak
the truth people will swear I am lying. I don’t mind their thinking me
an insignificant, idle young ass; but when they talk before me of dire
poverty, and then pause apologetically—when they positively refrain
from asking me to subscribe to entertainments or charities—I tell you
I don’t like it. I am a rank impostor. There will be an awful explosion
some day, if we don’t look out.”
“A pleasant explosion for you. Surely you are not quite such a fool
as to suppose that any one would think the worse of you because
you are a rich man.”
Mark’s thoughts wandered to Honor Gordon, and he made no
answer.
“We have gone too far to go back,” continued Waring,
impressively, “at least as far as Shirani is concerned. We might shift
our sky and go to Simla, and then after a time allow the truth to ooze
out.”
“I am desperately sorry I ever tampered with the truth,” cried the
other, starting to his feet and beginning to walk about the verandah.
“I have never told a direct lie, and no one has ever suspected me—I
have not a rich air, nor the tastes of a wealthy man; now, you”—
suddenly halting before Clarence, and looking him all over—“have
both.”
“True, oh king! and people jumped at their own conclusions. Can
we help that? It has given me a ripping good time, and saved you a
lot of bother and annoyance. Why, the girl in the plaid waistcoat
would have married you months ago.”
“Not she! I’m not so easily married as all that!” rejoined the other
indignantly.
“I am much relieved to hear it. I am glad you remember Uncle
Dan’s instructions. I was afraid they were beginning to slip out of
your head, and bearing them in mind, I think the sooner, for all
parties, that you clear out of Shirani the better.”
“I am not going to budge,” said Jervis resolutely; “and you know
the reason.”
Waring blew away a mouthful of smoke, and then drawled out
—“Of course—Miss Gordon.”
“No; my father,” reddening like a girl. “You know he lives within
forty miles of this, and that was what made me so keen to come to
Shirani.”
“Yes, I understand perfectly; and so keen to stay!”
“I wrote to him,” ignoring this innuendo, “and said I would wait on
here till October, hoping to see him.”
“You’ll never see him,” now bringing a volume of smoke down his
nostrils.
“Time will tell—I hope I shall.”
“And time stands still for no man! The Athertons and Miss Potter
start in ten days, and I shall accompany them; there is nothing like
travelling with a young lady for advancing one’s interests—as you
know, my boy. Now, don’t be angry. Yes, I’m off. I’m not heir to a
millionaire, and I must consult my interests. If you will take my
advice, you will join the little party.”
“No, thank you; I shall stay here.”
“Do you mean to say that you will stick to this dead-and-alive place
for the next four months?”
“I do—at any rate till my father sends for me”—and he paused for
a second—“or until the end of the season.”
“In fact, in plain English, until the Brandes go down,” repeated
Clarence significantly; and rising, and tossing away the end of his
cigarette, he strolled over to the adjacent mess.
CHAPTER XX.
MISS PASKE DEFIES HER AUNT.

Mrs. Langrishe gave an exceedingly languid acquiescence to the


constant remark, “What a charming girl Miss Gordon is! and what a
favourite she has become! Her aunt and uncle are quite devoted to
her.” She was thinking sadly on these occasions of her own niece,
Lalla, who danced like a fairy, or moonbeams on the sea, who was
always surrounded at balls, whose banjo playing and smart sayings
made her indispensable; no entertainment was considered complete
without Miss Paske.
These social triumphs were delightful; but, alas! the fair Lalla was
Joie de rue, douleur de maison, and her aunt, who smiled so
complacently in public when congratulated on her young relative’s
social successes, knew in her heart that that same relative had
proved a delusion and a cruel fraud. Fanny had been much cleverer
than she supposed in passing on a veritable infliction—a very base
little counterfeit coin. It was true that Fanny had not actually lied in
her description. Lalla was good-looking, piquante, accomplished,
and even-tempered; but an uneven temper would have been far
easier to cope with. When remonstrated with, or spoken to sharply,
the young lady merely smiled. When desired not to do such and
such a thing, she did it—and smiled. When her aunt, on rare
occasions, lost her temper with her, she positively beamed. She
never attempted to argue, but simply went her own way, as steadily
obdurate as a whole train of commissariat mules.
She was distinctly forbidden to go to Sunday picnics, but went to
them nevertheless. She was requested not to sit in “kala juggas”
(dark corners) at balls. Mrs. Langrishe might have saved her breath,
for at balls, if she happened by chance to glance into one, she was
almost certain to see some young man in company with her
incorrigible niece, who would nod at her with a radiant expression,
and laughingly refuse to go home.
Poor Mrs. Langrishe! she could not make a scene. Lalla, crafty
Lalla, was well aware that her aunt would patiently submit to any
private indignity sooner than the world should suspect that her niece
was wholly out of hand, and that she could not manage her. Miss
Paske traded comfortably on this knowledge, until she nearly drove
her stately chaperon crazy.
The young lady was determined to be amused, and to make the
best of life, and possibly to marry well. She treated herself in her
aunt’s house as an honoured and distinguished guest—ordered the
servants about, upset existing arrangements, and asked men
constantly to lunch or tea, or—oh, climax!—dinner. If remonstrated
with, she merely remarked, with her serene, bewitching smile—
“Oh, but, darling”—she always called Mrs. Langrishe “darling,”
even at the most critical moments—“I always did it at Aunt Fanny’s!
she never objected; she was so hospitable.”
She gave no assistance in the house, and usually sat in her own
room curling her fringe, studying her parts, or writing letters. Her
chief intimate was Mrs. Dashwood, who had been on the stage, and
the men of the theatrical set; and she blandly informed her horrified
chaperon that she had been considered the fastest girl in India, and
gloried in the distinction.
“In Calcutta they called me ‘the sky-scraper,’” she added, with a
complacent laugh.
What was to be done? This was a question Mrs. Langrishe put to
Granby, and then to herself. Never, never had she spent such a
miserable time as during this last two months. To be flouted,
mocked, and ordered about under her own roof; to be defied,
caressed, and called endearing names by a penniless, detestable
minx, who was dependent on her even for money for postage
stamps and offertory! Should she pay her passage and pack her off
home? No, she would not confess herself beaten—she, the clever
woman of the family! She would marry the little wretch well—in a
manner that would redound to her own credit—and then wash her
hands of her for ever.

The first series of theatricals were an immense success. Miss


Paske was the principal lady in the piece, and looked charming from
across the footlights. Captain Waring, who was fond of the stage,
had gone behind the scenes, and painted Lalla’s pert little face at her
own request, which same civility occasioned considerable
heartburning and jealousy among the other ladies, especially as the
result was a complete artistic triumph.
Every one was carried away by the Prima Donna’s vivacious
acting and sprightly dancing, which was both dashing and graceful—
in short, the very poetry of motion. Her dress, too—what there was of
it—was perfect in every detail. Skirt-dancing was as yet in its infancy
—a lady figurante was a rare spectacle on an Indian stage, and the
novel and astonishing character of the performance swept the
spectators off their feet, and Lalla and Toby Joy shared the honours
of the night between them.
Mrs. Langrishe was secretly horrified. She had only seen Lalla’s
costume in the piece; Lalla and the Dirzee (whom she entirely
monopolized) had composed it together—she had planned, he had
carried out her sketch. There had been mysterious conferences and
tryings on, from which her aunt had been rigidly excluded, and Mrs.
Langrishe was much too proud to affect an interest or curiosity in the
matter; but in her wildest moments she had never dreamt of the
character of the dress—or its limits!
As she sat in the front row, gazing at the waving arms and supple
limbs of her odious niece, little did her neighbours guess that a social
martyr was among them,—a martyr whose sufferings were still
further aggravated by the self-satisfied smirk and airy kiss the fair
dancer had deigned to fling her!
Afterwards, when Lalla, closely cloaked and hooded, was
modestly receiving the congratulations of her friends, she remarked

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