Abstract

The Imperial Temple in Antiochia Ad Cragum is estimated to be first constructed at the end of 2nd or start of 3rd century, the time of the Severan dynasty. However, archaeological evidence also suggests that there were interventions during the Byzantine era, with burials over the temple platform, a wine press on the northern side, and walls constructed perpendicular to the temple on the southern side, use of which are unidentified. There is also a retaining wall in the back of the temple that holds the earth against erosion from the hill on the back, but it is curiously close to the Temple if built as part of original construction. The goal of this study is to investigate the authors’ hypotheses of a multi-phase use and to identify which elements found on the site may be contemporary to each other by comparing the composition of mortar samples collected from different areas, supplemented by a geoarchaeological investigation. Five samples of mortar from the various areas around the temple were collected and tested using three methods: X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and thin section petrographic analyses. While all mortar samples include similar locally sourced hydrated lime and sand mixtures, three distinct construction styles are identified in the visual analysis of the building elements, the mortar analyses, and the geoarchaeological investigations. One sample from the walls of the wine press pool includes fibers. The unique interdisciplinary work utilizing both material analyses and geoarchaeology strengthens the conclusions that can be drawn from individual fields of study and provides more support for the hypotheses of the phased destruction and changing use of the monument.

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental campaign carried out in an historical industrial building of Barcelona from the 19th century, considering in-situ and laboratory minor destructive testing (MDT) techniques. The results obtained showed a good relationship between the in-situ MDT techniques and the tests carried out in the laboratory. The experimental results from different portions of the large-scale building allowed the discovery of different material typologies deriving from different construction phases.

Abstract

The current Italian Building Code provides tables with standard values of the mechanical characteristics of existing masonry. These tables refer to specific typologies, as described, according to masonry texture. As experience suggests, the way in which the masonry is built up could really affect its structural behaviour, both in terms of mechanical properties and failure mechanisms. Furthermore, the code entrusts each Region to improve and better define these mechanical characteristics, specifically in areas where they could be regarded as homogeneous, in order to improve definitions of the quality, the behaviour and the mechanical properties with a higher degree of precision and knowledge. Valtellina, located in the north of the Lombardy region and in the middle of the Alps, can be regarded as a homogeneous area because of its specific masonry, built up with hard rock stones and weak lime mortar. The available in–situ experimental data about this masonry typology, achieved through MDTs and NDTs, was collected, implemented and improved with additional tests to identify the relevant mechanical properties. This was aimed to classify and structurally identify this specific regional masonry typology, never analysed before.