Material characteristics and deterioration evaluation for the 13th century Korean stone pagoda of Magoksa temple

Abstract

This study focused on the quantitative deterioration evaluation for the Magoksa temple stone pagoda of the thirteenth century in Korea, based on the deterioration map by precise observation and ultrasonic velocity measurements. The stone pagoda is composed mainly of fine-grained quartz diorite with some granodiorite used in the second story and dew bowl, and the replacement stone for restoration in the basement is biotite granite. The deterioration map and the 2D contour map projecting ultrasonic velocity showed that the most serious deterioration was to the north face of the pagoda, which has about 81.2% deterioration rate and a low velocity range compared with the other directions. Thus, it is required to prepare conservation schemes to reduce deterioration and reinforce the structure. It is also required to carry out ground exploitation for calculation of load carrying strength and ground strength together with continuous structural monitoring. The results will be important for the stable and long-term conservation of the pagoda and will further serve to establish scientific conservation systems of stone cultural heritages in the future.