Abstract
Essential for any intervention in existing buildings, a thorough knowledge of both structural and material characteristics is even more important in the case of traditional stone masonry buildings, due both to the variability of this technology’s properties and the degradation buildings might have sustained. In Portugal, a number of in situ and laboratory experimental campaigns has allowed us in recent years to expand the knowledge on the mechanical properties of stone masonry walls. Nevertheless, the existence of different wall typologies built with the same material necessitates that this characterization takes into account the various regional constructive cultures. This paper presents the results obtained through an in-situ characterization campaign carried out in the old urban center of Viseu, for which there is no information available in the literature. Granite stone masonry walls of two different buildings were analyzed and characterized considering their geometrical and material features, contributing to the identification of stone masonry typologies present in the city’s old urban center. Flat-jack testing yielded resistance and deformability parameters to be used both in safety evaluation and intervention design. The properties obtained can be said to be consistent with those deriving from other experimental campaigns, conducted in granite walls of different typologies, throughout the country. Simultaneously, relevant conclusions about the use of flat-jacks to characterize this type of stone masonry were drawn.
Highlights
When intervening in existing buildings, and with a view to preserving historical and material authenticity, no action should be conducted without being absolutely necessary
This necessity is all the more pressing when dealing with stone masonry buildings, as their structural behavior is significantly different from recent buildings, besides presenting high typological and mechanical variability, which are quite dependent of the local material availability and constructive tradition
Despite its abundance, no information related to the mechanical properties of granite stone masonry walls from the old urban center of Viseu exists in the literature
Summary
When intervening in existing buildings, and with a view to preserving historical and material authenticity, no action should be conducted without being absolutely necessary. The characterization of the mechanical behavior of granite stone masonry, a typology common in the North and Center-North of Portugal, has already been the subject of some studies conducted. As to the constructive system of the buildings from the old urban center of the city of Viseu, namely in what pertains to the vertical resisting elements, the abundance of granite stone makes this namely in what pertains to the vertical resisting elements, the abundance of granite stone makes the most common material with which to build masonry walls, as is common in the Northern Region this the most common material with which to build masonry walls, as is common in the Northern of Portugal. Despite its abundance, no information related to the mechanical properties of granite stone masonry walls from the old urban center of Viseu exists in the literature.
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