Historic renders and their weathering at the temple Wat Mahathat, UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ayutthaya, Thailand

Abstract eng:
Investigations of renders on buildings of the temple Wat Mahathat in Ayutthaya showed that two different types of mortars have been applied. The original mortars from the period before 1767 are lime mortars, whereas hydraulic mortars were obviously used for restoration and stabilisation of the ruins in the 20 th century. The use of organic additives like starch from boiled rice for historic mortar production is suspected, but could not be proved by analytical means. The analysis of probable additives is made more difficult due to microbiological activity in tropical climate which might have lead to enzymatical decomposition of the primary organic compounds. The porosity and the hardness of renders, controlled in-situ by easily applicable, non- or less-destructive investigations like Karsten tube measurements and drilling resistance, reflect a wide range of different weathering states. Therefore, appropriate restoration measures must be planned in detail for every part of the buildings; an overall treatment with water repellents cannot be recommended. The formation of peculiar, alveolar-like structures on some renders is caused by hardening of the surfaces along cracks due to intensified transport of dissolved components.

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