AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS

Academic Year 2023/2024 - Teacher: Giovanni CASCONE

Expected Learning Outcomes

Students acquire the basic technical skills on framing and building components, functional and plant aspects of the main livestock buildings and the most common types of greenhouses, as well as skills on the design of buildings for agriculture using specific software graphic design. At the end of the course, students will be able to apply the main criteria and standards for planning and design animal houses and greenhouses in keeping with modern agriculture.

Course Structure

Frontal teaching, exercises, designs, technical visits.

Learning assessment consists in an oral and/or written ongoing test and a final oral test.

If teaching is given in a mixed formula or remotely, necessary changes may be introduced to what was previously stated in order to comply with the privided and reported syllabus.

Learning assessment may also be carried out on line, should the conditions require it.

As a guarantee of equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, interested students can ask for a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on their specific needs and on teaching objectives of the discipline. 
It is also possible to ask the departmental contacts of CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or DSAs), in the persons of professors Giovanna Tropea Garzia and Anna De Angelis.

Required Prerequisites

The students should have school knowledge on mathematcs and physics

Attendance of Lessons

The frequency of the lessons is strongly recommended


Detailed Course Content

Building materials:: bricks, concrete, reinforced concrete, stell. The housing of cattle: housing of dairy cows, housing of calves, housing of beef cattle, housing for organic production of beef cattle, housing of pigs. Fundamentals of environmental control of animal houses:  heat tranfer and psychrometrics, animal thermal environment, thermal insulation, ventilation systems. Energy balance of animal houses and building materials for thermal insulation. Greenhouses: types of greenhouses, greenhouse energy problem, structural materials, covering materials, heating systems, screens, ventlation systems, cooling systems. Calculation exercises: resolution of the energy balance of animal houses, design of openings for natural ventilation, design of pig housing. Design exercises: drafting graphic printouts, by means of CAD softwares, of the preliminary project of an agricultural building at the choice of the student from a list of design themes put forward by the teacher.

Textbook Information

  1. Chiumenti R., "Costruzioni rurali", Edagricole, Bologna, 2004.
  2. Weller J.B., Chiappini U., “Costruzioni agricole e zootecniche”, Edagricole, Bologna, 1976.
  3. Lindley A., Whitaker H., “Agricultural buildings and structures”, ASAE, St. Joseph MI, USA, 1996.
  4. Maton A., Daelemans J., Lambrecht J., “Housing of animals”, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1985.
  5. Dassori E., Morbiducci R., "Costruire l’architettura – Tecniche e tecnologie per il progetto", Tecniche nuove, Milano, 2010.
  6. Bandelloni E., "Elementi di architettura tecnica", CLEUP, Padova, 1986.
  7. Tesi R., “Mezzi di protezione per l’ortofloro-frutticoltura ed il vivaismo”, Edagricole, Bologna, 1999.
  8. Didactic supports provided by the teacher.

Course Planning

 SubjectsText References
1Statics, functional, construction, architectural and plant aspects of agricultural building and their interrelations.8.Didactic supports given by the teacher.
2Building materials: bricks, reinforced concrete, steel.5. Dassori E., Morbiducci R., ''Costruire l’architettura – Tecniche e tecnologie per il progetto'',Tecniche nuove, Milano, 2010. - 6. Bandelloni E., "Elementi di architettura tecnica", CLEUP, Padova, 1986.
3Dairy cattle housing: Buildings and equipment for stanchion barns / Buildings and equipment for loose houses / Mechanical milking equipment for stanchion barns and for loose houses.1. Chiumenti R., ''Costruzioni rurali'', Edagricole, Bologna, 2004. - 8. Didactic supports given by the teacher.
4The housing for breeding calves and young stock: the calving pen / housing of new-born calves / housing of growing veal calves.1. Chiumenti R., ''Costruzioni rurali'', Edagricole, Bologna, 2004. - 8. Didactic supports given by the teacher..
5The housing of beef cattle: The littered loose house / The slotted floor loose house / Solution for animal waste removal / Building solutions for organic beef cattle breeding.1. Chiumenti R., ''Costruzioni rurali'', Edagricole, Bologna, 2004. - 8. Didactic supports given by the teacher.
6The housing of pigs: The service house / The house of pregnant sows / The farrowing house / The weaner house / The layout of houses for fattening pigs / Feed equipment/ Waste management /  The design of layout of swine houses1. Chiumenti R., ''Costruzioni rurali'', Edagricole, Bologna, 2004. - 4. Maton A., Daelemans J., Lambrecht J., “Housing of animals”, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1985. - 8. Didactic supports given by the teacher.
7Fundamentals of heat transfer and psychrometrics: Heat transmission by conduction, convection asnd radiation / Psychrometric properties of the air / Psychrometric charts.8. Didactic supports given by the teacher.
8Animal environment: Homeothermy / Environmental temperature / Thermal comfort indexes/ Heat production/ Vapor production / Animal-environment exchange of energy.8. Didactic supports given by the teacher.
9Thermal insulation of animal houses: Insulation materials / Thermal control by passive systems / Energy balance of a animal house aimed to the choice of the building materials.3. Lindley A., Whitaker H., “Agricultural buildings and structures”, ASAE, St. Joseph MI, USA, 1996. - 8. Didactic supports given by the teacher.
10Ventilation of animal houses: Ventilation rates / Natural ventilation: stack effect, wind effect, design of the openings / Mechanical ventilation.3. Lindley A., Whitaker H., “Agricultural buildings and structures”, ASAE, St. Joseph MI, USA, 1996. - 1. Chiumenti R., ''Costruzioni rurali'', Edagricole, Bologna, 2004. - 8. Didactic supports given by the teacher.
11Greenhouse construction and equipment: The greenhouse effect / greenhouse typologies / Materials for greenhouse structures: geometric and mechanical characteristics / Covering materials: thermophysical, optical and mechanical characteristics / Construction details for assembly of the components.7. Tesi R., “Mezzi di protezione per l’ortofloro-frutticoltura ed il vivaismo”, Edagricole, Bologna, 1999. - 8. Didactic supports given by the teacher.
12Greenhouse energy aspects / Greenhouse heat transfer processes / Natural ventilation / Mechanical ventilation / Containment of energy losses.7. Tesi R., “Mezzi di protezione per l’ortofloro-frutticoltura ed il vivaismo”, Edagricole, Bologna, 1999. - 8. Didactic supports given by the teacher.
13Heating installations for greenhouses: radiant-tube, fan-coil / Evaporative cooling systems.7. Tesi R., “Mezzi di protezione per l’ortofloro-frutticoltura ed il vivaismo”, Edagricole, Bologna, 1999. - 8. Didactic supports given by the teacher.
14Exercises by analytical methods: Energy balance of an animal house aimed to the evaluation of the degree of thermal insulation.8. Didactic supports given by the teacher.
15Design exercises: Drawing by CAD program the graphics of a preliminary architectural design of an agricultural building chosen by the student from a list of proposed design themes.8. Didactic supports given by the teacher.

Learning Assessment

Learning Assessment Procedures

Interim written/oral test and final oral test with discussion of the graphic design of an agricultural building.


Verification of learning is through oral examination. Evaluation of the student's preparation will be based on the following criteria: ability to learn and level of depth of the topics covered, properties of synthesis and exposition, and ability to reason.


Verification of learning can be carried out also by telematic means if the conditions should make it necessary.


Grading is expressed in thirtieths according to the following pattern:

Ineligible

Subject knowledge and understanding: significant deficiencies, significant inaccuracies

Ability to analyze and synthesize: irrelevant, inability to synthesize

Use of references: completely inappropriate.

18-20

Subject knowledge and understanding: at threshold level, obvious imperfections

Ability to analyze and synthesize: barely sufficient ability

Use of references: barely appropriate.

21-23

Knowledge and understanding topic: routine knowledge

Ability to analyze and synthesize: is able to analyze and synthesize correctly. argues logically and coherently

Use of references: uses standard references.

24-26

Subject knowledge and understanding: good knowledge

Analysis and synthesis skills: Has good analysis and synthesis skills. topics are expressed consistently

Use of references: uses standard references.

27-29

Knowledge and understanding topic: knowledge more than good

Analytical and synthesis skills: has considerable analytical and synthesis skills

Use of references: has deepened understanding of topics.

30-30 e lode

Knowledge and understanding topic: knowledge very good

Ability to analyze and synthesize: has considerable ability to analyze and synthesize.

Use of referenze: important insights.