Engineering properties of ancient masonry materials in Thailand and substitution materials for historical structures preservation

Abstract

This paper presents the engineering properties of ancient masonry materials and substitution materials for the preservation of Thai historical structures. The study was divided into 2 parts. For the first part, the ancient masonry materials including brick and mortar were collected from various historical sites in Bangkok and Ayutthaya provinces. The engineering properties of masonry materials were evaluated in laboratory such as compressive strength, density, chemical compositions, porosity, and water absorption. The second part was investigation to find the suitable substitution materials for historical repair mortars. Fly ash was used as a pozzolanic materials to partial replace slaked lime for making historical repair mortar. The engineering properties of historical repair mortar containing were also evaluated and compared with the ancient masonry materials obtained from the first part. The binder to sand ratio was controlled at 1:3 by weight. The slaked lime was substituted by fly ash in the ranges of 10-30% by weight. The experimental results showed that the use fly ash to a partial replace slaked lime could decrease the setting time of historical repair mortar. The compressive strength of historical repair mortars with fly ash were ranged from 1.54-2.22 MPa, depending on the level of replacement, while that of the ancient masonry materials had the compressive strength of 1.88-2.71 MPa.

Adhesion between SRP and masonry: Laboratory simulations of the field moisture and salt conditions

“…The compressive strength of historical bricks has been reported to be on average 10.85.8 MPa in a number of investigated buildings in St. Petersburg, Russia [24], 10.3 MPa in Istanbul, Turkey [25], 11.3 MPa (mostly in the range 2-22 MPa) in Venice, Italy [26], in the range 7-25 MPa in Riga, Latvia [27], and 23 MPa, 30 MPa and 23.5 MPa in different buildings investigated in Italy [28][29]. The mean water absorption value of historical bricks, measured directly or calculated on the basis of open porosity and bulk density values, was reported to be 18-20% in buildings of Henan province [30], 21% in Istanbul [25], 17.7-22.9% in Thailand [31], 15-30% in different buildings in Greece and Turkey [32], 15-29% in Italy [23]. A commercially-available dry-mix mortar with natural hydraulic lime binder was used for the masonry joints (class M5 according to EN 998-2 [33]).…”

Analytical Chemistry Methods of Estimating the Original Firing Temperature of Bricks from a 19th Century Convent in the Philippines: Perspective of a Southeast Asian Country | Mga Pamamaraan ng Mapanuring-Kimika sa Pagtantya ng Orihinal na Temperatura ng Pagsunog sa Ladrilyo Mula sa Isang Ika-19 na Siglong Kumbento sa Pilipinas: Pananaw ng Isang Bansa sa Timog-Silangang Asya

“…Restoration efforts have also gained valuable insights from analytical techniques. Data from these instruments guided the restoration of brick temples damaged by an earthquake in Bagan, Myanmar (Thet Mon San et al 2018) and the restoration works in Bangkok and Ayutthaya in Thailand (Mahasuwanchai et al 2020). Information on how ancient brick was manufactured was reported in another study on the Bagan temples in Myanmar (Oh et al 2019) and a Cham Dynasty temple in Vietnam (Abdrakhimov and Abdrakhimova 2018).…”

Analytical Chemistry Methods of Estimating the Hydraulic Lime Characteristics of Mortars from a Spanish Colonial Period Fortification in the Philippines: Perspective of a Southeast Asian Country | Mga Pamamaraan ng Suriing Kapnayan sa Pagtantya ng Katangiang Haydroliko ng Apog sa Argamasa na Mula sa Isang Panahon ng Kastilang Kuta sa Pilipinas: Pananaw ng Isang Bansa sa Timog-Silangang Asya

“…Baseline chemical data on old lime mortars in Southeast Asian countries was reported from the Philippines, particularly from Christian church ruins in Manila (Cayme and Asor Jr 2016), Misamis Oriental (Cayme and Asor Jr 2017), Albay (i.e., Budiao and Cagsawa) (Laplana et al 2018;Mangay et al 2018), and a missionary chapel in Marikina (Cayme et al 2018). Furthermore, chemical investigations were also applied on lime mortars for future conservation works of different ancient Buddhist temples (wats) and a palace in Bangkok and Ayutthaya in Thailand (Mahasuwanchai et al 2020;Wonganan et al 2021), and the Fort Cornwallis in Penang, Malaysia (Harun et al 2002;Ismail et al 2003). Proper restoration of structures heavily damaged by earthquakes from the Dauis Church in Bohol, Philippines (Kalaw and Naguit Jr 2019), and Bagan temples in Myanmar (Thet Mon San et al 2018;Amadori et al 2019) have benefitted from the elemental data of lime mortars originally used in these structures.…”