The salt decay of medieval bricks at a vault in Brarup Church,Denmark |
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Authors: | Poul Klenz Larsen |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Conservation, The National Museum of Denmark, Brede, Lyngby, 2800, Denmark |
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Abstract: | This paper presents an investigation of the decay of bricks in the chancel vault of Brarup Church located close to the Baltic
Sea at the island of Falster in Denmark. The aim of the work was to study a peculiar phenomenon in order to prescribe appropriate
treatment. Although protected by a lime plaster, some bricks were pulverized up to 50 mm deep from the topside. The decay
occurred in a random pattern over the structure, with undamaged bricks positioned next to deteriorated bricks. The brick structure
was investigated by Mercury Intrusion Porosiometry. All bricks had a majority of pores in the range 1–10 μm, but the decayed
bricks also had a fraction of pores with a diameter less than 100 nm. The difference may be due to a lower firing temperature,
or it may be a consequence of the salt decay. Salt analysis proved that the deteriorated bricks were contaminated with sodium
chloride, which could have degraded the brick structure. However, the powdering of the bricks may be caused by the precipitation
of gypsum, which was found in the brick powder but not in the deteriorated brick itself. According to calculations with the
computer program RUNSALT, the precipitation of gypsum is much influenced by the presence of sodium chloride. The gypsum precipitates
due to changes in temperature between 0 and 30°C and variations in relative humidity between 75 and 95%. Seasonal climatic
changes in the attic were measured to cover this interval. Perhaps sodium chloride acted as a catalyst that facilitated the
accumulation and precipitation of gypsum at the topside of the bricks. A sacrificial plaster, which is the traditional treatment
for salt contaminated structures, would not prevent such decay. |
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Keywords: | Salt Decay Brick Climate Vault |
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