Effect of manufacturing methods on the decay of ceramic materials: A case study of bricks in modern architecture of Madrid (Spain)

• Published in: Applied clay science Vol. 135; pp. 136 - 149
• Main Authors: Perez-Monserrat, Elena Mercedes, Agua, Fernando, Fort, Rafael, de Buergo, Monica Alvarez, Conde, Juan Felix, García-Heras, Manuel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.01.2017
• Subjects: Bricks; Built heritage; Clays; Decay; Non-destructive techniques (NDT); Clays; Built heritage; Non-destructive techniques (NDT); Bricks; Decay
• ISSN: 0169-1317; 1872-9053
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clay.2016.09.015

The appearance and main decay forms in the fair-faced brick façades on the University Campus of Madrid's Faculty of Medicine were taken as a starting point to analyse certain building's construction characteristics and the clay and technology used in brick manufacture. The raw materials consisted in a mix of Miocene marl and red Triassic clays from the Spanish province of Jaén. The exposed face of bricks was characterised by a yellowish tone and smooth, uniform texture that afforded perfect dimensioning and inter-brick alignment. In some bricks this texture was lost, with a concomitant colour change, surface roughness increase and loss of material. Laboratory studies through polarised optical microscope (POM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (FESEM-EDS) revealed similar composition in all the bricks, firing temperatures ranging between 800 and 850°C and, with the exception of the exposed surface, not particularly careful manufacture. •To jointly address documentary sources in situ and characterisation studies•To understand brick manufacturing procedures and their effects on brick decay•To provide a scientific support for decision making in future restoration or conservation strategies