Experimental investigation on bricks from historical Venetian buildings subjected to moisture and salt crystallization

Abstract The research presented in this paper investigated the mechanical behavior of bricks subjected to moisture and salt crystallization, and aimed at determining the mechanical degradation of bricks due to these environmental factors. Compression tests were performed on bricks removed from an historical Venetian building. The paper presents the experimental campaign and the results. The analysis of the experimental results provided novel information about the effects of moisture and salts on the compression strength of bricks. In particular, the experimental results demonstrate that moisture significantly reduces the compression strength of a brick; the greater the moisture content the lower compression strength, all other condition being equal, in particular salt concentration inside the brick. Moreover, the experimental results demonstrate that salts together with moisture significantly reduce brick compression strength, while salts without moisture increase brick compression strength. However, the crystallization of these salts can cause subflorescence and efflorescence inside the bricks, which eventually reduce the compression strength of the bricks and the masonry. The paper provides a discussion on the results that extends the outcomes to any masonry building subjected to brackish water or tides. The conclusions are devoted to safeguarding and conservation of masonry buildings that suffer from humidity and salt crystallization.

[1]  Azra Korjenic,et al.  Diffusion of moisture into building materials: A model for moisture transport , 2014 .

[2]  Paolo Foraboschi,et al.  In-plane behavior of perforated brick masonry walls , 2012 .

[3]  A W Hendry.  Engineered design of masonry buildings: fifty years development in Europe , 2002 .

[4]  Jens Wöstmann,et al.  Investigation of dielectric properties of brick materials as a function of moisture and salt content using a microwave impulse technique at very high frequencies , 1998 .

[5]  C. Colla,et al.  A coupled multiphase model for hygrothermal analysis of masonry structures and prediction of stress induced by salt crystallization , 2013 .

[6]  Roman bricks from the Lagoon of Venice: a chemical characterization with methods of multivariate analysis , 2001 .

[7]  R.P.J. van Hees,et al.  Damage development to treated brick masonry in a long-term salt crystallisation test , 2004 .

[8]  Adem Dogangun,et al.  Turkish historical arch bridges and their deteriorations and failures , 2008 .

[9]  A. Giakoumaki,et al.  Capillary rise kinetics of some building materials. , 2005, Journal of colloid and interface science.

[10]  Javier R. Viguri,et al.  Physico-chemical characterisation of bricks all through the manufacture process in relation to efflorescence salts , 2009 .

[12]  Paolo Foraboschi,et al.  Coupling effect between masonry spandrels and piers , 2009 .

[13]  Joseph F Labuz,et al.  Characteristic strength of quasi-brittle materials , 1998 .

[14]  R.P.J. van Hees,et al.  Experimental research on hygroscopic behaviour of porous specimens contaminated with salts , 2004 .

[15]  Julio Cesar Zanchet Piaia,et al.  Measurements of water penetration and leakage in masonry wall: Experimental results and numerical simulation , 2013 .

[16]  C. Arya.  Eurocode 6: Design of masonry structures , 2009 .

[17]  Herbert Wiggenhauser,et al.  Moisture measurements in building materials with microwaves , 2001 .

[18]  R. Ricciu,et al.  Microclimatic monitoring of a semi-confined archaeological site affected by salt crystallisation , 2015 .

[19]  Zacharias B. Maroulis,et al.  A powerful simulator for moisture transfer in buildings , 2007 .

[20]  Marcin Koniorczyk,et al.  Modelling of salt crystallization in building materials with microstructure – Poromechanical approach , 2012 .

[21]  Barbara Lubelli,et al.  The role of sea salts in the occurrence of differrent damage mechanisms and decay patterns on brick masonry , 2004 .

[23]  Dimitri D. Deheyn,et al.  Salinity variations in the Venice Lagoon, Italy: Results from the SIOSED Project, May 2005-February 2007 , 2013 .

[24]  G. Umgiesser,et al.  Hydrodynamic and salinity modeling of the Venice channel network with coupled 1-D–2-D mathematical models , 2001 .

[25]  Christopher Hall,et al.  Water movement in porous building materials—II. Hydraulic suction and sorptivity of brick and other masonry materials , 1980 .

[26]  Arnold W. Hendry,et al.  Design of Masonry Structures , 2003 .

[27]  L. Pel,et al.  Salt transport and crystallization in porous building materials. , 2003, Magnetic resonance imaging.

[28]  Marco Menegotto.  Seismic Repair and Upgrading of a Dome Lantern in Assisi , 1993 .

[29]  Elisa Franzoni,et al.  Rising moisture, salts and electrokinetic effects in ancient masonries: From laboratory testing to on-site monitoring , 2014 .

[30]  Luigi Fregonese,et al.  Assessing the seismic vulnerability of a historical building , 2013 .

[31]  W. D. Hoff,et al.  Water movement in porous building materials—VI. Evaporation and drying in brick and block materials , 1984 .

[32]  Jan G. Rots,et al.  Structural Masonry , 2020 .

[33]  D. Bigoni,et al.  Elastoplastic coupling to model cold ceramic powder compaction , 2014, 1404.7423.

[34]  D. Misseroni,et al.  Instability of a penetrating blade , 2014 .

[35]  Angelo D'Ambrisi,et al.  Masonry arches strengthened with composite unbonded tendons , 2013 .

[36]  Monica Favaro,et al.  Evaluation of compatibility and durability of a hydraulic lime-based plaster applied on brick wall masonry of historical buildings affected by rising damp phenomena , 2002 .

[37]  C. Price,et al.  Salt damage at Cleeve Abbey, England. Part II: seasonal variability of salt distribution and implications for sampling strategies , 2005 .

[38]  Paolo Foraboschi.  Church of San Giuliano di Puglia: Seismic repair and upgrading , 2013 .

[39]  Luigi Biolzi.  EVALUATION OF COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF MASONRY WALLS BY LIMIT ANALYSIS , 1988 .

[40]  J. Carmeliet,et al.  Moisture transfer through mortar joints: A sharp-front analysis , 2012 .

[41]  Colin Gagg,et al.  Cement and concrete as an engineering material: an historic appraisal and case study analysis , 2014 .

[42]  Lucio Nobile,et al.  Effect of salt crystallisation on the shear behaviour of masonry walls: An experimental study , 2012 .

[43]  Vasco Peixoto De Freitas,et al.  Moisture migration in building walls—Analysis of the interface phenomena , 1996 .

[44]  Antonella Saisi,et al.  INVESTIGATION PROCEDURES FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF HISTORIC MASONRIES , 2000 .

[45]  T. Diaz Gonçalves,et al.  Evaluating the salt content of salt-contaminated samples on the basis of their hygroscopic behaviour: Part II: experiments with nine common soluble salts , 2006 .

[46]  Li Xie,et al.  Deterioration mechanism of cementitious materials under acid rain attack , 2013 .

[47]  T. G. Nijland,et al.  White efflorescence on brick masonry and concrete masonry blocks, with special emphasis on sulfate efflorescence on concrete blocks , 2004 .

[48]  Carlos Chastre,et al.  Effect of salt crystallization ageing on the compressive behavior of sandstone blocks in historical buildings , 2012 .