(Ed.) Report D5.2: laboratory and on-site testing activities, Part 1: Brick masonry

This report is the final form of the deliverable D5.2; in this document are reported the results obtained from a part of all activities provided within the Work Package 5 of the SMooHS project. Results derived from laboratory and on-site testing activities are presented in separated parts of the D5.2 in order to provide the end user specific documents focused on macro-themes recognized of great interest. The two main issues addressed for the masonry structures are: - the evaluation of NDT methods effectiveness to qualitative and quantitative detect defects and inhomogeneities; therefore within the ad-hoc designed wall specimens voids and inclusions were hidden inside the wall thickness. - The evaluation of NDT methods performances in detecting the beginning of material and structural damage and its evolution over longer periods by measuring mechanical and physical parameters. In order to induce damage on wall specimens, they were contaminated with salt solution. In this first part of the deliverable D5.2 (part 1, brick masonry), results concerning testing activities on fired-clay brick masonry were reported. Several NDT techniques were employed in order to investigate more than one issue, i.e. the effectiveness of the techniques was analysed in terms of capability to identify simultaneously aspects as the presence of defects, the mapping of phenomena promoting decay (rising damp and salt efflorescence) and the induced damage.