Hygric Properties of Machine-Made, Historic Clay Bricks from North-Eastern Poland (Former East Prussia): Characterization and Specification for Replacement Materials

Abstract

This paper deals with the hygric characterization of early 20th century machine-made clay bricks, representative of great number of historical buildings in north-eastern Poland. Heritage buildings have a high potential for adaptive reuse, which is strictly connected with an urge for knowledge about the properties of these existing building envelopes. To better understand the hygric behavior of historic buildings, various experimental laboratory tests, including density, water absorption, compressive strength and freeze-thaw resistance, were conducted. In order to assess the microstructural characteristics of the tested bricks, mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) tests were performed. These tests were conducted on clay bricks from historic buildings, as well as on those that are currently being produced, in order to identify the relationship between the materials used in the past and the replacements produced presently. This paper addresses the lack of systematic application of existing standards for evaluating the state of the conservation of historic bricks and for establishing the specifications for replacement bricks. The results of conducted study and further research will be the basis for creating a historic materials database. It would be a useful tool for selecting bricks that correspond with the historically used materials and help to maintain homogenous structure of the restored buildings.