Juniper timber: potentiality of a vernacular raw material José Ramón Ruiz Checa 1, a , Valentina Cristini ,b 1 Dep. Construcciones Arquitectónicas ETSAV School of Architecture, UPV, Valencia, Spain 2 Dep. Composición Arquitectónica, ETSAV School of Architecture, UPV, Valencia, Spain Camino de Vera s/n 46022 Valencia, Spain a joruice@csa.upv.esl, b vacri@upvnet.upv.es Key words: juniper features and proprieties, traditional architecture, compression resistance, resistance test Abstract. This research presents some features about juniper timber, above all related with aspects of its structural use (for supports, pillars, beams, roofs...) in some vernacular architecture. Therefore, a special attention is driven to botanical, technical, mechanical features, typical for this type of rare wood. Its traditional use in the Iberian Peninsula and throughout the Mediterranean Basin is still visible in some cases of study, presented in the research. Good constructive qualities make juniper timber a great candidate for further test-researches and experiments, focalized on the family of traditional and”ever green “constructive materials. Introduction The purpose of this research, summarized in this article, is to classify and undertake a careful study of a type of wood, juniperus thurifera, called sabina albar in Spanish, as a timber that can be used perfectly, both in construction and in craftsmanship. In this case, the research has a special focus upon the great structural behavior of this timber, whether in pillars or in thatched roofs. Fig.1 (from the left) Examples of juniper timber in vernacular architecture: pillars, thatched roof, mil (RUIZ CRISTINI) Also Vitruvius, in the Ten books of Architecture, speaks about this timber; showing some definition and some descriptions of the qualities of this material and methods of employment. (Book 2. Chapter 9. Section 49): The Latin name, thurifera, can also be useful so as to understand one of the most significant features of the timber –i.e. the resin that the wood contains; juniperus comes from Latin “ieniperus”, which means juniper, while thurifera comes from “thuris”= incense and “fer”= to carry; in other words the name of the tree can sound like “ juniper that carries incense”. Juniper timber; a botanical approach The Juniper tree has an incredibly slow growth and the trunk can also reach a height of 20 m but, of course, it’s not so common, as we usually find examples of “just” 4 or 8 m high. The slow process (the Advanced Materials Research Vols. 250-253 (2011) pp 1143-1146 Online available since 2011/May/17 at www.scientific.net © (2011) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.250-253.1143 All rights reserved. No part of contents of this paper may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of TTP, www.ttp.net. (ID: 158.42.73.69-17/05/11,17:12:58)