Objective Some thatched roofs break down for unexplained reasons. A "test bed"test exists which should help to explain the reasons for poor durability in thatched roofs about 100 Courte Paille restaurants in France, identical architecturally, and all with thatched roofs. Also in the U.K. in the National Trust village of Kingston Lacey, there are 120 thatched properties of which the thatch was surveyed 10 years ago. It is proposed to determine the durability of the thatch on these French and English roofs, to obtain information on the source of the thatching material and on its physical and chemical characteristics. Among physical characteristics will be length, solidity of stems, leafiness and composition of stems as determined by photomicrography. Among chemical characteristics will be the content of nitrogen, salt, silica, wax, liquid and calcium. Evidence of the possible effect of local air pollution will also be recorded. It is important at the present time, when there is the prospect of a considerable revival in the use of thatch as a roofing material, with all its environmental and energy conservation advantages, to ensure that such a revival should not be hampered by the use of low quality thatching materials. The project aims to correlate durability of thatch on the "test bed" roofs with a number of criteria. This will enable thatchers to procure roofing material which will not deqrade prematurely. Fields of science natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryalkaline earth metalsengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringair pollution engineeringnatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollution Programme(s) FP4-ENV 2C - Specific programme of research and technological development in the field of environment and climate, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 020204 - Technologies to protect and rehabilitate European cultural heritage Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme EAW - Exploratory awards Coordinator Thatching Advisory Services Ltd. Address Stratfield saye RG7 2BT Reading United Kingdom See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Reading Agricultural Consultants Ltd United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address Aston street OX11 9DJ Aston tirrold - didcot See on map TOITURE HOLCAM S.A.R.L. France EU contribution € 0,00 Address 46,rue de parmain 46 95430 Butry sur oise See on map
