Brick durability and conservation treatment (Santa María de Jesús chapel portal, Seville, Spain)

• Main Authors: F. J. Alejandre, R. Villegas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas 2009-03-01
• Series: Materiales de Construccion
• Subjects: brick; treatment; decay; porosimetry; salt crystallization
• Online Access: http://materconstrucc.revistas.csic.es/index.php/materconstrucc/article/view/122

Durability differences of 2 types of brick from Santa María de Jesús Chapel (Sevilla) and 2 treatments for its restoration have been studied. They have been characterizad using XRD and SEM, as well as their physical, hydric and mechanical properties. Samples prepared with bricks from the chapel have been submitted to salt crystallization test, to identify decay causes and mechanisms. The red brick present the lowest firing temperature, lower porosity and a great proportion of micropores. Physical and mechanical properties don’t change significantly with the treatments, only hygric properties vary with the water repellent. The accelerated aging test revealed significant improvement in the behaviour of yellow brick, but no change in the decay mechanism of red brick (Typical of microporous materials) or its durability is observed.