Multi-Leaf Stone Masonry Walls in Egypt: A Legend

Abstract

Multi-leaf stone masonry walls are a typical construction technique in architectural heritage in Egypt. The assessment, modeling, and strengthening of historic masonry walls of multi-leaf systems essentially require suitable knowledge of their construction technology, typology, geometrical characteristics, and the properties of their components. Within the current research project, a comprehensive structural survey of multiple-leaf walls of medieval historic buildings in Cairo was performed. The observation and statistical analyses allowed characterization of the transversal section of the surveyed walls, as well as examination and identification of the construction materials and techniques. The slenderness ratios of this type of wall, its blocks’ dimensions, the utilized connectivity between the inner and outer leaves, and leaves ratio were also investigated. Three construction hypotheses of multiple-leaf stone masonry walls are presented considering weak, thick, and monolithic core infill layers. The study’s objectives were to enlarge the knowledge of typology, morphology, and construction materials used in three-leaf masonry walls and provide a proper characterization as a prerequisite for determining the most suitable materials and techniques for further strengthening interventions.

Essays in Archaeology and Archaeometry and the Hellenic Contribution to Egyptology

“…The assessment, modeling, and strengthening of historic masonry walls of multi-leaf systems essentially require suitable knowledge of their construction technology, typology, geometrical characteristics, and the properties of their components. In this context, a comprehensive structural survey of multiple-leaf walls of medieval historic buildings in Cairo was performed by Amer et al [58]. Three construction hypotheses of multiple-leaf stone masonry walls are presented considering weak, thick, and monolithic core infill layers.…”