Identification of Alternations in the Structure of Historical Masonry Walls Using the GPR Method Accompanied with Architectural Survey in the Former Piast Gymnasium in Brzeg

Abstract

Widely used in civil engineering, GPR (ground penetrating radar) is increasingly being used to survey historic structures. However, there are still no conclusive directives on the use of GPR in the identification and diagnosis of masonry structures. The current state of the art allows only on the example of individual case studies, to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of the use of this tool. One such area, where the effective use of GPR has been experimentally confirmed, is the historic architectural survey of a heritage buildings. Due to diversity in the dielectric properties of individual construction materials, it is possible to observe on radargrams the change of electromagnetic wave patterns by materials from different phases. Traditional approach require extensive excavation efforts or core drilling, which may not always be acceptable for conservation reasons. Hence the GPR method could be interesting, non – destructive option for identification and diagnosis of historical masonry walls. The authors used the architectural survey and accompanying excavations at the former Piast Gymnasium in Brzeg to conduct a survey campaign using the GPR method. The brick walls of the building's nave have been scanned. The nave have undergone numerous alterations over hundreds of years. The GPR data has been subjected to adequate post-processing and then correlated with architectural surveys and validated on the basis of available excavations at the site. The authors highlight that GPR surveys, when combined with architectural investigations, offer a less invasive approach to examining historic structures, thereby mitigating the need for problematic excavation work.