Multi-Leaf Stone Masonry Walls in Egypt: A Legend

Danila Aita,Osama Amer,Ashraf Shawky,Akram Torky,Ezzeldin K Mohamed

doi:10.3390/heritage4040156

Danila Aita, Osama Amer + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage4040156

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Abstract

Multi-leaf stone masonry walls are a typical construction technique in architectural heritage in Egypt. The assessment, modeling, and strengthening of historic masonry walls of multi-leaf systems essentially require suitable knowledge of their construction technology, typology, geometrical characteristics, and the properties of their components. Within the current research project, a comprehensive structural survey of multiple-leaf walls of medieval historic buildings in Cairo was performed. The observation and statistical analyses allowed characterization of the transversal section of the surveyed walls, as well as examination and identification of the construction materials and techniques. The slenderness ratios of this type of wall, its blocks’ dimensions, the utilized connectivity between the inner and outer leaves, and leaves ratio were also investigated. Three construction hypotheses of multiple-leaf stone masonry walls are presented considering weak, thick, and monolithic core infill layers. The study’s objectives were to enlarge the knowledge of typology, morphology, and construction materials used in three-leaf masonry walls and provide a proper characterization as a prerequisite for determining the most suitable materials and techniques for further strengthening interventions.

Highlights

Multi-leaf masonry walls (MLMW) constitute the construction typology most widely adopted in historic buildings worldwide
Most of the thick stone masonry walls were built according to the multi-leaf system with two outer leaves of more robust material and an inner one of weaker materials; this allowed for a thicker wall cross-section and higher own weight at a comparative economic cost
The field study allowed concluding that the multi-leaf stone masonry walls varied in their geometrical characteristics, typologies, and construction techniques; according to their typology, they are characterized by different structural performance and load-transfer mechanisms

Summary

Introduction

Multi-leaf masonry walls (MLMW) constitute the construction typology most widely adopted in historic buildings worldwide. They are found, for example, in Roman buildings [1]. Most complex historic constructions in Egypt present bearing structural elements built up adopting the multiple-leaf masonry technique, which gives a non-homogeneous structural element. This building technology is around 4000 years old. It exists in a variety of forms [2]: it usually was used as vertical structural elements in historic houses, public buildings, religious constructions, and hydraulic structures. This type of wall was adopted for piers in road and railway bridges [3,4,5]

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