Toward reliable in-situ strength assessment of heritage masonry using combined NDT and MDT techniques
The mechanical characterisation of existing masonry structures represents a major challenge in structural assessment, particularly in heritage buildings where the extraction of samples for laboratory testing is often restricted. Reliable in-situ techniques are therefore required to estimate the mech...
| Autores: | , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2026 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) |
| Repositorio: | UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:dnet:upcommonspor::36754a626d55dc17dd4fc817063b9cef |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/2117/462247 https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15583058.2026.2670323 |
| Access Level: | acceso embargado |
| Palabra clave: | Brick masonry compressive strength heritage preservation in-situ tests minor destructive testing (MDT) non destructive testing (NDT) Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria civil::Infraestructures i modelització dels transports |
| Sumario: | The mechanical characterisation of existing masonry structures represents a major challenge in structural assessment, particularly in heritage buildings where the extraction of samples for laboratory testing is often restricted. Reliable in-situ techniques are therefore required to estimate the mechanical properties of masonry components while preserving the integrity of the structure. This study proposes an experimental methodology for the in-situ assessment of brick masonry through the combined use of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and Minor Destructive Testing (MDT). The approach integrates the Rebound Hammer Test (RHT) and Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) to estimate the compressive strength of solid clay bricks through an adapted SonReb correlation, while the Pin Penetration Test (PPT) is employed to evaluate the compressive strength of mortar joints. The methodology is applied to six case studies, including a historic wine cellar, a masonry arch bridge, a laboratory masonry arch bridge specimen, two residential buildings, and an industrial building. The results show that the combined interpretation of these techniques enables a conservative estimation of the compressive strength of masonry components and provides a practical framework for the structural assessment of existing and heritage masonry structures. |
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