Abstract
This study characterises the original construction materials (building stones and mortars) of a collapsed two-storey colonnaded structure in the Ismail Mandani house, located in the old city centre of Doha (Qatar). Results were drawn based on interpretation and integration of historical, in situ observations and analytical data. The mortars and stones were characterised following a multidisciplinary approach, combining macroscopic observation with petrographic microscopy, mineralogical analysis (X-ray diffraction) and elemental analysis (handheld X-ray fluorescence) of samples. Moreover, hydric properties, ultrasonic pulse velocity and colour of representative samples of the house were studied. The results revealed the use of two types of stones and three different types of gypsum mortars. The original construction materials came from nearby coastal stones. Gypsum of the most used mortar had a calcination temperature between 120 and 160 °C and its colour was produced by lumps with higher Fe content. The materials’ effective porosity and water absorption were high, and their ultrasonic pulse velocity was low. These petrophysical results indicated they had low quality for construction purposes. The composition and colour of the original construction materials were quantified, which will allow the reproduction of their aesthetic characteristics and improvement of their quality in future reconstruction works.
Highlights
Historical construction materials have an important aesthetic, cultural and heritage value, and their characteristics must be conserved so that historic centres maintain their identity
Both elements were composed of masonry stone S1, with average dimensions of 19.5 ± 8.5 × 14.1 ± 6.1 × 9.5 ± 4.2 cm, and of masonry mortar M1
The study of building stones and mortars originally used in the collapsed portion of the Ismail
Summary
Historical construction materials have an important aesthetic, cultural and heritage value, and their characteristics must be conserved so that historic centres maintain their identity. It is necessary to collect data on construction materials of buildings before they disappear [3,4]. The science of materials allows identifying the causes of built-heritage decay. It can provide the means needed to mitigate the factors that contribute to the loss of built heritage [8,9,10]. It allows the Minerals 2019, 9, 241; doi:10.3390/min9040241 www.mdpi.com/journal/minerals
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