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Soil movement may be induced by a wide variety of natural and anthropogenic causes, which are detectable in the local scale, but may influence the movement of the soil over vast geographical expanses. Space borne interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) measurements of ground movement provide a method for the remote sensing of soil settlement and uplift over wide geographic areas. Based on this settlement and uplift evaluation, the assessment of the potential damage to architectural heritage structures is possible. In this paper an interdisciplinary monitoring and analysis method is presented that processes satellite, cadastral, patrimonial and building geometry data, used for the calculation of settlement and uplift damage to architectural heritage structures in Belgium. It uses processed InSAR data for the determination of the soil movement profile around each case study, of which the typology is determined from patrimonial information databases and the geometry is calculated from digital elevation models. The impact on the historic structures is calculated from the determined soil movement profile based on various soilstructure interaction models for buildings. The resulting damage is presented in terms of a numerical index illustrating its severity according to different criteria. In this way the potential soil movement damage is quantified in a large number of buildings in an easily interpretable and user-friendly fashion. The processing of InSAR data collected over the previous 3 decades allows the determination of the progress of settlement- and uplift-induced damage in this time period. With the integration of newly acquired and more accurate data, the methodology will continue to produce results in the coming years, both for the evaluation of soil settlement and uplift in Belgium as for introducing related damage risk data for existing architectural heritage buildings. Results of the analysis chain are presented in terms of potential current damage for selected areas and buildings.

The polymer electrolyte system of methylcellulose (MC) doped with various sodium bromide (NaBr) salt concentrations is prepared in this study using the solution cast technique. FTIR and XRD were used to identify the structural changes in solid films. Sharp crystalline peaks appeared at the XRD pattern at 40 and 50 wt.% of NaBr salt. The electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) study illustrates that the loading of NaBr increases the electrolyte conductivity at room temperature. The DC conductivity of 6.71 × 10−6 S/cm is obtained for the highest conducting electrolyte. The EIS data are fitted with the electrical equivalent circuit (EEC) to determine the impedance parameters of each film. The EEC modeling helps determine the circuit elements, which is decisive from the engineering perspective. The DC conductivity tendency is further established by dielectric analysis. The EIS spectra analysis shows a decrease in bulk resistance, demonstrating free ion carriers and conductivity boost. The dielectric property and relaxation time confirmed the non-Debye behavior of the electrolyte system. An incomplete semicircle further confirms this behavior model in the Argand plot. The distribution of relaxation times is related to the presence of conducting ions in an amorphous structure. Dielectric properties are improved with the addition of NaBr salt. A high value of a dielectric constant is seen at the low frequency region.

Computational models for masonry are briefly reviewed and judged upon their practical performance at the structural scale, i.e. at building level, in a nonlinear pushover or nonlinear time history setting. Particular attention is given to an anisotropic macro model based upon total stress-strain relations in tension, shear and compression with proper unloading/reloading. A multi-level experimental campaign for Groningen masonry delivered material input and validation data at component and structural level. Brief attention is given to the temporal discretization, with a sequentially linear scheme that drives the solution over the peak up to structural softening down to zero, as an alternative to incremental-iterative implicit schemes.

This article focuses on repair or replacement mortars for historical buildings. Both the decision process and questions arising are dealt with, in order to better define and illustrate technical requirements for mortars to be used for the repair or restoration of monuments and historic buildings (masonry mortars, plasters, renders…). The article summarizes a longer document, meant to help professionals in their decisions on the interventions, taking into account aspects, which are ranging from the ethics of restoration to the technical requirements.

This article focuses on repair or replacement mortars for historical buildings. Both the decision process and questions arising are dealt with, in order to better define and illustrate technical requirements for mortars to be used for the repair or restoration of monuments and historic buildings (masonry mortars, plasters, renders…). The article summarizes a longer document, meant to help professionals in their decisions on the interventions, taking into account aspects, which are ranging from the ethics of restoration to the technical requirements.

This paper gives a summary of functional and performance requirements for repointing mortars for historic masonry (design, execution and maintenance). Successful performance of repair and conservation of mortar in historic masonry requires more care with design and execution than with modern masonry. © 2012 RILEM.

This article focuses on repair or replacement mortars for historical buildings. Both the decision process and questions arising are dealt with, in order to better define and illustrate technical requirements for mortars to be used for the repair or restoration of monuments and historic buildings (masonry mortars, plasters, renders…). The article summarizes a longer document, meant to help professionals in their decisions on the interventions, taking into account aspects, which are ranging from the ethics of restoration to the technical requirements.

Mortar has been in use for many thousands of years and is integral to most masonry construction. Its use is widespread in every culture where masonry is constructed. It is present in the majority of the global built cultural heritage, and is therefore a major consideration in building conservation. The effective design of a mortar for repairing masonry depends on a clear understanding of its function. The main functional uses of mortar in masonry are classified as bedding, pointing, grout, render, plaster, flooring and mortars for surface repairs. The requirements that each type of mortar must meet in service depend on its environmental exposure and its role in the masonry element that it is found within (e.g. issues such as historic authenticity, aesthetics, resistance to moisture ingress, structural integrity, and service life). Technical requirements such as adhesion, strength, elasticity, water and vapour transmittance, drying behaviour, thermal dilatation, ability to deal with salt contamination and freeze–thaw cycling, and its aesthetic properties can be quantified. Mortar properties can be adjusted by varying ingredients and their proportions, to meet the differing technical requirements

This paper presents an approach to the use and interpretation of tests on mortar samples when restoring historic masonry. It is largely based on the work performed by the former RILEM technical committee 167-COM, Characterisation of old mortars, closed in 2003, and the ongoing committee 203-RHM, Repair mortars for historic masonry. The focus of the present paper is on the decision process: what to test and how to interpret the test results.

Hardening of calcium hydroxide and calcium silicate binders composed of cement, rice husk ash (RHA) and lime in different compositions were studied with mortars using thermal analysis, mechanical strength and SEM. When cement is partially replaced with RHA and lime, hardening occurs as a result of combined hydration, pozzolanic reaction and carbonation reaction. While hydration of cement contributes to the early strength development of the mortars, carbonation is much more pronounced at later stage with the decrease in the cement content and increase in the porosity of the mortars. RHA-cement mortars indicated a long-term strength development, which is lower than that of the reference cement mortar. This was attributed to their higher porosity due to the high water demand of the porous RHA grains. Strength reduction was recorded at the very early stage for RHA-cement-lime mortars containing 10%-wt cement as well as RHA-lime mortars. This has been explained with the insufficient cement content, destructive effect of the calcium carbonate phases on the initially hydrated cement phases and partial carbonation of the initially hydrated phases. This decrease can also be related to the presence of excess RHA in the matrix as excess silica can react with the initially formed C-S-H phase, which can lead to the formation of polymerized C-S-H phase. ispartof: pages:611-621 ispartof: Proc. International Conference on Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies pages:611-621 ispartof: International Conference on Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies location:Coventry, UK date:11 Jun - 13 Jun 2007 status: published

The aim of the research on brick masonry degradation supported by the D.G. XII is presented. The project is delivering the following: ► Damage Atlas of ancient brick masonry, a book with a description of the types of damage, and their possible causes, in ancient brick masonry structures; ► Masonry Damage Diagnostic (expert)-System (MDDS), an expert computer system allowing the user to define damage types and damage causes in ancient brick masonry structures; The scientific methodology used for the development of both documents is given. It illustrates the type, processes and cause of damage that occurs to historie brick masonry structures and the way non-destructive techniques are introduced in the evaluation procedure