ABSTRACT The present study focused on the characteristics of lime-based mortars with egg white addition prepared according to a historic Chinese recipe. Results suggested that under dry curing condition, the addition of egg white into mortars could decrease water absorption and increase surface hardness and compressive strength. Hardness and strength values of mortars cured under humid condition, however

ABSTRACT In the past, cattle blood was used for painting in central Europe mainly for interior wooden elements. Unfortunately, this common wood-coating technique of the past had vanished during the 20th century and only many misinformed opinions are left about this coating’s purpose and its effects on wood durability. Three different recipes were used for beech and pine sapwood treatment, which were

ABSTRACT Heritage at risk is a terminology used to describe the sites that are highly at risk of being lost as a result of intentional demolition, deterioration, negligence or subject to improper preservation or mistreatment. Iraq is one of the countries that suffered in the last decade from intentional demolition of highly valuable heritage sites and objects. As Iraq gradually recovering from wars

ABSTRACT The paper presents a survey of the historic Arch-cathedral bell tower in Vilnius induced by the appearance of cracks in the structure after a new bell system installation. An attempt is undertaken to identify the reason for the crack occurrence and to check a possible crack influence on global structural behaviour. The research is based on dynamic measurements made in the tower during ambient

ABSTRACT In recent decades, seismic vulnerability studies in residential Historic Districts have increasingly resorted to simplified assessment methods, which, very often, are grounded on idealized models obtained from the analysis of the most recurring material and geometrical features in a specific area. This paper aims to discuss the procedure to get residential building models appropriate for simplified

ABSTRACT Transformations and restorations of existing buildings may have to solve major issues regarding the buildings’ structural safety. Timber floors for instance may be damaged due to decay, a faulty design or a poor implementation during construction. Moreover, most of the times old or historical buildings have been designed for a maximum load much lower than the one prescribed nowadays by current

ABSTRACT An atypical ‘baraccato’ system made of masonry walls encaged in iron frames was realized in the Ischia Island after the earthquake of 1883; an interesting example is represented by the Santa Maria Maddalena Church. Unfortunately, while several experimental and numerical studies can be found in the recent literature for traditional ‘baraccato’ systems (mixed timber and masonry elements), no

ABSTRACT Historic masonry buildings often require structural repair or retrofit to attain a satisfactory level of seismic resistance. This paper analyses the effect of externally bonded fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) retrofitting systems on the global seismic response of such buildings in order to achieve the fundamental code-based requirements that refer to the structure’s state of damage for a specified

ABSTRACT Mexico has an important number of cities recognized by the UNESCO as World Heritage Site. Many of them have highway and railway bridges with an important historical value product of the construction techniques and materials implemented in those days. In spite of their importance, very few efforts have been led to study the masonry historic bridges’ origin and pathologies that eventually would

ABSTRACT In order to study the dynamic properties of the pagoda with solid structure when affected by an earthquake, take the Xuanzang Pagoda as an example which is one of the World Cultural Heritage Architecture Sites. An 1/8-scale model was constructed for a shaking table test. The principle properties of the structural damage were observed. The natural vibration period of the structure and the acceleration

ABSTRACT In view of the development of heavy timber seismic-resistant structures, in the context of modern seismic design approach, a possible solution is to allow the timber structure to dissipate a part of the seismic energy. Since timber is a material with an elastic-fragile behaviour, the dissipative function should be delegated to connections, through plastic deformation of steel connectors. However

ABSTRACT The presented study aims to describe the seismic vulnerability of a sample made by 90 masonry one-nave churches, subjected to the Valle Scrivia Earthquake, 2003, Piemonte, Italy. In particular, the paper reports analyses performed looking at two different moments: (a) situation after the seismic event, identified through the data collection of the post-earthquake surveys; and (b) situation

ABSTRACT This work explores the short- and long-term effects of admixtures typically used to improve durability on air lime mortars. With that purpose, two air-entraining admixtures (AEA), based on sodium alpha olefin sulfonate (AOS) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and a water-repellent admixture (WRA) based on alkylsilicone resin were studied. The AEAs proved not to be detrimental to mechanical

ABSTRACT The 2015 Gorkha earthquake damaged many unreinforced masonry buildings in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Kathmandu Valley, such as Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur. But there were a few multi-tiered temples, with high plinths, that survived the recent earthquake. The temples with a massive high plinth have shown better seismic performance both in past historical earthquakes as well as in

ABSTRACT Warm yellow facades, popular for centuries and throughout the world, were typically painted with ochre but could be copperas-based. Copperas is iron sulphate mixed with lime, and oxidation produces a golden colour. Usually, the methods are distinguished by appearance. Knowing the original painting method is critical for historical context and conservation, so the research program evaluated

(2020). Structural Health Assessment of Timber Structures: Selected Papers from the SHATIS’19 Conference. International Journal of Architectural Heritage. Ahead of Print.

ABSTRACT This paper correlates the durability of bricks in various environments to their physical and microstructural characteristics. Micro-analytical and physical characterisation techniques were employed to find the raw materials and firing temperature of the historic bricks. Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry (MIP) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) helped in finding the effects at microstructure

ABSTRACT This research aims to study the influence of organic additive and aggregate grain size in lime mortar hardening for producing compatible, high-performance and eco-friendly materials for conservation and restoration of heritage structures. Mortar mix with lime to sand ratio of 1:3 by mass and water to binder ratio of 0.75 was considered. Ficus Carica (Moraceae), commonly known as Fig fruit

ABSTRACT Detection of structural damage is an important issue. Some techniques require knowledge of the undamaged state or in-depth knowledge of the construction materials used. The application of principal component analysis to the temporal variation in natural frequencies is a promising technique. With an undamaged structure a single principal component will suffice to explain the change in modal

ABSTRACT The newly proposed structural system (TRAROM), made of timber posts, beams, internal diagonals and planks laid on orthogonal directions on both sides of the wall, is influenced by the architecture of traditional timber houses in Romania. Walls with different layouts were tested to in-plane static cyclic loading in order to obtain the best one, focusing on anti-seismic features, the ease of

ABSTRACT Cultural Heritage Buildings are considered highly complex, having evolved over time, and contain various heritage components. These assets are becoming increasingly at risk due to unprecedented transformation processes in cities, from underground railways. Experimental and monitoring strategies can serve as diagnostic tools on the effects of long-term exposure to induced vibrations, from this

ABSTRACT This experimental study investigates the response of six innovative moment connections between composite floor panels and glulam columns. Each composite panel consists of five glulam beams and ultra-high performance fibre reinforced concrete cladding. The dimensions of the individual elements of the floor panels and the columns are fixed. The present study focuses on: (i) the experimental

ABSTRACT Three inclined historical masonry towers, located in the city of Ferrara (North-East region of Italy), are analyzed under seismic loads employing advanced numerical models. This study provides a critical review on the conservation state, present vulnerabilities, influence of peculiar structural features, and future need for strengthening interventions. Three scenarios were performed, mimicking

ABSTRACT The paper delivers a short report about the modal identification carried out on a historical masonry palace in the city centre of L’Aquila, Palazzo Pica Alfieri, retrofitted after the 2009 earthquake. A concise description of the damage pattern and the retrofitting interventions heads the presentation of the results of the dynamic identification using Operational Modal Analysis. The identified

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate tensile properties of utgulisanji connection. The utgulisanji connection is a traditional wood-to-wood connection used in wood-frame buildings in Korea. Different sizes (120 × 120, 180 × 180, 180 × 240, 240 × 240 mm2) of glulam beam at 2.4 m length made from Larix kaempferi and Pinus koraiensis were used to determine the tensile properties of utgulisanji

ABSTRACT The plaster of the wall paintings at Mogao Grottoes is all made of earth, and the migration of water and salt in this kind of plaster is one of the most important factors that cause the deterioration of the wall paintings. However, the characteristics of the migration in the earthen plaster, which are quite crucial for the research on the formation mechanism of deteriorations and the conservation

ABSTRACT This work presents a model and tools with which stakeholders and others involved in the conservation and maintenance process to make informed, evidence-based decisions for the treatment of painted steel-sheet roofs on historical buildings. The aim is to bridge the communication gap between research and practice and to provide useful tools for balancing technical, economic, environmental and

ABSTRACT The effective differentiation between global and local modes plays a fundamental role in the selection and application of the most appropriate seismic analysis procedures. This is particularly relevant in the case of historical heritage structures and ensembles of buildings in old city centres: due to the complexity of the structural scheme, the stratification of interventions, and the irregularity

Compared to simple masonry walls, numerical modelling of masonry vaulted structures is particularly complex due to their three-dimensional curved geometry and articulated masonry pattern. Moreover, the scarce availability of experimental data makes it difficult to validate numerical models for these types of structures. Recently, the simplified micro-modelling approach has been applied by different

Microtremor measurements were performed on four historical timber–masonry composite pagodas (called tiered temples) in Kathmandu Valley. Several measurements were performed between 2009 and 2017. The Gorkha earthquake occurred on April 25, 2015, causing severe damage (collapse, inclination, uplifting of the top tier, and damage to masonry walls) to the temples being monitored. The earthquake damage

Ancient Chinese stone arch bridges are an important kind of architectural heritage in China, and they are often threatened by potential collapse problems. The stone arrangements of the arches in ancient Chinese stone arch bridges are quite different from those in Western countries, which may lead to different collapse modes. Thus, the collapse mechanisms of arches with typical “Chinese stone arrangements”

In this paper, the unknown and peculiar construction technique employed in vernacular buildings of the Algerian region of Souf is addressed. Traditional architectures of this desert area are made of unusual building material, the Desert Rose stone. Also, typical buildings are covered with domes that outline a unique urban landscape included in the “Tentative List of UNESCO”. To pursue coherent safeguarding

Diyarbakir is a city that its history goes down 7000 BC.There are many historical buildings in the traditional urban texture surrounded by walls. The Grand Mosque is one of these valuable buildings.An important restoration work was carried out in the Grand Mosque between 2010 and 2017. In these works, some excavations were made to obtain some research and information. New information about mosque and

The paper deals with the reduction of the seismic vulnerability of historical masonry buildings characterized by a wide room, of significant height, provided by a multi-sloping timber roof lying on perimeter walls and, internally, on columns or pillars (e.g. industrial buildings). Typically, these structures are extremely vulnerable to earthquakes but a minimum intervention, consisting in the bracing

This paper presents a first contribution to the damage assessment of historic masonry churches exposed to slow-moving landslides. No studies have ever been devoted to systematically investigating the effects of slow-moving landslides on this type of structures. In this work, a damage survey campaign was performed on 33 listed churches located in landslides-affected areas in the Liguria region (Italy)

The seismic response of masonry monumental structures is a debated matter. In this paper, the authors compare the dynamic response of the Santa Maria di Collemaggio basilica under low-intensity earthquakes to the dynamic response under operational conditions. A permanent number of accelerometers records the dynamics of the Santa Maria di Collemaggio basilica under both operational and seismic excitation

Most of the artistic heritage in the Mediterranean basin is hosted in rupestrian hypogeum whose peculiarity is given by the presence of at least one open side, which makes them particularly sensitive to meteorological conditions. This makes mandatory the monitoring of both indoor and outdoor environmental parameters to analyze the cause–effect relationship between microclimatic inside and outside the

The study has focused on consolidation of a historical bath ruin in an archaeological site. Cevher Paşa Bath, which is located in Tabae archaeological site in Denizli, Turkey and dated to the 15th century, presents structural problems. The aim of the study is to propose a framework for planning consolidation of the ruins of Cevher Paşa Bath so that conservation work regarding similar masonry ruins

The Xi’an Bell Tower in Shaanxi Province, China, has been preserved for more than 600 years. However, due to the deterioration of brick and rammed earth in the bell tower foundation (BTF), the ancient building has suffered serious damages, such as seepage, efflorescence, peeling, and cracking. The seepage causes and mechanisms of the BTF are investigated in this work. The distribution of damages in

The adaptive reuse (AR) of buildings in Iran, is a subject that has had disparate cultural backgrounds, compared to the countries that originated the approach. AR has gradually paved its road during the last five decades from an autocratic ad-hoc policy to a quasi-inclusive socio-political approach. Tehran, as the bicentennial capital of Iran, has always embraced pioneering examples of AR breakthroughs

(2020). Historic Mortars and New Repair Materials for the Architectural Heritage: Selected Papers from the 5th Historic Mortars Conference (HMC 2019) International Journal of Architectural Heritage: Vol. 14, Selected papers from HMC 2019 – 5th Historic Mortars Conference, pp. 943-947.

The presence of stucco marble in the Portuguese architecture is not surveyed and studies addressing the materials used to produce it are almost inexistent. In this paper, the results of the multi-analytical characterisation using XRD, SEM-EDS, Py-GC/MS and the determination of capillary water absorption and dynamic modulus of elasticity of 15 samples belonging to seven case studies are presented and

During field development of a microgrout for the stabilization of painted lime plasters detached from a limestone substrate, diethyl oxalate-based formulations out-performed microgrouts based on nanolime, colloidal silica and ammonium oxalate, creating more cohesive and homogenous set materials, with better working properties. However, unlike ammonium oxalate, diethyl oxalate is relatively new to the

The use of natural stone consolidators in historic buildings, when applicable, makes it possible to improve the internal cohesion of the stones and restore or improve the original mechanical properties that the material once had. This paper describes the in situ and lab tests on the characterization of a very porous natural sandstone used in the construction of a late 17th century Fort, located near

In this paper, the influence of the mechanical properties of masonry in the structural behavior of old masonry dams in Mexico is evaluated. Mexico has an important number of masonry dams, which were constructed from seventeenth century to nineteenth century and continue to operate until now. Two different typologies of typical dams in Mexico were analyzed. The first typology corresponds to a dam with

Rammed earth architecture is still widespread and alive in Bhutan, especially in rural villages, where dwellings are built by the local community. The country recently suffered two intense earthquakes that put traditional architecture at risk. Rammed earth building techniques show high seismic vulnerability by nature, whose degree strongly depends on good building practices. Within the framework of

In the present study, the microscopic structures of the wooden components in the Xichuan Guild Hall were observed through the bright-field microscope to identify the tree species. The extent of decay of these wooden components was observed using polarized light and fluorescence microscopes, respectively. The results are as follows: (1) Sample Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8 belonged to hemor woods (Schima

The deterioration and the consequent collapse of historic timber structures lead to a significant loss of knowledge transfer of local construction methods and building technics. In this article, based on a case study of an exceptional timber frame structure in Istanbul dating from the end of the 19th century, is an attempt to provide documentation on the structure and materials of the specific building

Existing masonry buildings and infrastructures are often characterized by curved elements like arches, where the settlements could induce damages up to compromising their stability. Curved elements are very sensitive to settlements due to the modification of the lateral thrust. The effects of settlements could be very critical on heritage buildings, where the intrados of curved elements are often characterized

The conservation of historic structures must be carried out through treatments that use materials which are compatible with the originals. In recent years, nanolime has been considered one of the most promising products for the consolidation of calcareous substrates due to its characteristics of high compatibility with the treated substrate and durability. The effectiveness of nanolime products has

ABSTRACT The conservation of historic structures must be carried out through treatments that use materials which are compatible with the originals. In recent years, nanolime has been considered one of the most promising products for the consolidation of calcareous substrates due to its characteristics of high compatibility with the treated substrate and durability. The effectiveness of nanolime products

After the cleaning procedures carried out during a recent restoration work, the Matera Cathedral’s (UNESCO World Heritage Site) façade needed the application of a water repellent treatment. Aqueous emulsions of silanes/siloxanes, also in a mixture with acrylic polymer and an alkyl/alkoxysilanic resin (by BEL CHIMICA S.r.l. and PHASE restauro S.r.l), have been tested as representative of the most used

Tensile membrane roofs are considered to have the potential to improve the buildings’ performance due to their lightweight and flexible nature. However, their potential for improving acoustic behaviour has hardly been accurately gauged or demonstrated due to their complexity in both geometric and physical aspects. To address this issue, Carmo’s church in Lisbon—a heritage building that lost the roof

This article presents the diagnosis of pathological manifestations on the mortar coating from the facades of two historical buildings of scientific and social importance in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Documental investigation, visual survey, percussion and thermography tests, mapping of damages, and characterization of the coatings were performed. Coatings were characterized by determining the binder:aggregate

Hitherto, considerable research has been developed on the city scale to estimate the seismic hazard in terms of peak ground acceleration (PGA), which could be a valuable tool for the assessment of the building vulnerability using mechanical approaches. However, as material properties and dynamic characteristics are commonly unavailable to define detailed models for large-scale analysis, mechanical

Reliable estimation of seismic stability of structures built in seismically active regions is an objective that requires a complex investigation and different types of activities. For historical structures and monuments, this requirement is even more essential, because many of them represent unique heritage structures. In-situ testing of a monument for defining dynamic characteristics and seismic testing

The intervention process in historical buildings involves the application of a scientific methodology for the materials characterization. In Porto Alegre — RS, Brazil, several buildings with patrimonial value from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were preserved. This study presents the physicochemical analysis of mortar coating samples obtained from two buildings, the commercial and residential

Damage surveys following to the Central Italy 2016 seismic swarm have shown that retrofitting or strengthening interventions on masonry buildings may result in unexpected seismic behaviour, which may be defined as hybrid. In fact, the insertion within the masonry of single parts aimed at activating the box-like behaviour can worsen the overall response like a vulnerability added to a building’s intrinsic

An IML-Resi PD-400 drilling tool with two types of spade drill bits (IML System GmbH, Wiesloch, Germany) was used to study the influence of the drilling direction in relation to wood grain orientation on drilling resistance (DR) and feeding resistance (FR) measurements. The drilling tests were performed on Scots pine, European beech, English oak and Silver poplar conditioned in a standard climate.

On August 21st 2017 an earthquake of magnitude Mw = 3.9 occurred in the Ischia Island (Italy), causing numerous damages to ordinary and monumental buildings and two casualties. Immediately after the earthquake, teams from the Universities of Napoli Federico II and ‘Parthenope’, carried out inspections on the churches of the island in two phases: the first was developed in the post-emergency and was