EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS ON DETERIORATION OF HISTORIC BRICKS FROM SELECTED MUGHAL MONUMENTS OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Over the years, buildings made of bricks and other porous materials suffer physical and chemical damage while exposed to weathering. Deterioration then occurs due to various intrinsic and extrinsic factors and urban environmental damage is very extensive, altering material’s form. The Mughal monuments in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan are exposed to similar environmental threats and is an experimental ground of inadequate conservation due to which these historic structures are rapidly and irreversibly decaying. This work is based on the study and analysis of various brick samples from selected monuments. Many of its elements and features are vanishing with time as observed at various locations. It is therefore necessary to develop a conservation strategy for these monuments by characterizing the materials, identifying the environmental impacts, and evaluating/developing the conservation scenarios for the preservation of this irreplaceable heritage asset. Keywords: Heritage; Historical buildings; Bricks; Physical, chemical, and biological weathering.