BOOK OF ABSTRACTS

Abstract

Properties of mud bricks and reconstructed brick material from the Tell el-Retaba archaeological site in Egypt have been compared. The site is located in the transitional zone between humid sub-tropical and dry tropical climate. The influence of deterioration on changes of the physical and mechanical properties of mud bricks has been assessed as a factor of time. Effects of deterioration of the mud brick material have been presented: exfoliation as an effect of heating enhanced by colour, mud brick deformation and salt crystallisation as a result of cyclic watering and evaporation, and loosening of the structure caused by numerous factors. With brick age, decrease of bulk density and increase of porosity has been observed. The values of these parameters in the reconstructed brick material do not show a similar trend. Differences in grain size and mineral composition of the material used for brick production influenced not only the speed of deterioration processes but also the prevailing type of the process. Comparison of the properties of mud bricks and the reconstructed material indicates that mud bricks were characterised by good initial values. However, with time, the physical and mechanical properties of the mud bricks became significantly worsened following the long-term influence of deterioration processes.

Full text

43rd International Symposium on
Archaeometry
Lisbon, 16th – 20th May 2022
BOOK OF
ABSTRACTS

International Symposium on Archaeometry
Lisbon, 16th – 20th May 2022
321
Session 7
Human-Environment Interactions
POSTER

International Symposium on Archaeometry
Lisbon, 16th – 20th May 2022
325
Influence of deterioration on the preservation of mud brick architecture
based on the monuments from the Tell el-Retaba archaeological site
Zaremba, M.1, Bobrowska, A.2, Trzciński, J.2, Szczepański, T.2, Welc, F.1
1Institute of Archaeology, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University, Wóycickiego 1/3, 01-938 Warsaw, Poland
2Faculty of Geology, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 93, 02-089 Warsaw, Poland
Keywords: Residential and defence structures; Physical and mechanical properties; Reconstruction of mud brick;
Weathering processes; Nile Delta; Climate change
Properties of mud bricks and reconstructed brick material from the Tell el-Retaba archaeological site in Egypt
have been compared. The site is located in the transitional zone between humid sub-tropical and dry tropical
climate. The influence of deterioration on changes of the physical and mechanical properties of mud bricks
has been assessed as a factor of time. Effects of deterioration of the mud brick material have been presented:
exfoliation as an effect of heating enhanced by colour, mud brick deformation and salt crystallisation as a
result of cyclic watering and evaporation, and loosening of the structure caused by numerous factors. With
brick age, decrease of bulk density and increase of porosity has been observed. The values of these
parameters in the reconstructed brick material do not show a similar trend. Differences in grain size and
mineral composition of the material used for brick production influenced not only the speed of deterioration
processes but also the prevailing type of the process. Comparison of the properties of mud bricks and the
reconstructed material indicates that mud bricks were characterised by good initial values. However, with
time, the physical and mechanical properties of the mud bricks became significantly worsened following the
long-term influence of deterioration processes.
S7-P06.217