Brick masonry identification in complex historic buildings

Abstract

The aim of the study is to define a reliable interdisciplinary procedure for brick masonry identification in complex historic buildings, in order to enhance documentation, conservation and restoration issues, thereby putting into value the architectural heritage. The methodology integrates experimental data obtained through on site measuring and sampling with historical information. Direct measurements were obtained through photogrammetry and brick and mortar characterization tests and were used to relate stratigraphic units, fabric morphology and materials. The differences identified through morphological analysis and experimental results are double-checked with historical data, allowing a scientific interpretation, supported by experimental results and contrasted to historical information. This approach was used for the study of the brick masonry walls of the first College of the University of Alcalá (Madrid, Spain), founded in 1495 and declared World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1998. Different brick masonry typologies with the same morphology but different constitutive materials and vice versa were found. An integrated constructive analysis based upon available historical data allowed to identify six brick masonry types based on their period of construction, fabric morphology and building materials