Mechanical behaviour and reliability of ancient clay bricks from zamora (Spain) under three point bending test

Abstract

Ancient clay brick masonry rely on the brick units properties, so their analysis are important on interventions in historic buildings. This study evaluates the mechanical behaviour of specimens extracted from clay bricks of buildings built between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the province of Zamora (Spain) under three point bending tests. Clay bricks with very different characteristics and manufacturing processes are analysed. The results of flexural strength and flexural modulus are analysed and related with compressive strength and physical properties obtained in a previous study. A reliability analysis is performed using Weibull statistics, giving the Weibull modulus as indicator for the reliability and reproducibility. Experimental mechanical properties show high variation not only between different clay bricks but also in-between specimens extracted from the same brick. According to the reliability analysis it can be concluded that the ancient clay bricks of the study are unreliable with respect to their mechanical characteristics under bending. © 2020, University of Cantabria - Building Technology R&D Group. All rights reserved.