Research Team Reviews Building Material Analysis for Heritage Structures

In a significant advancement for cultural heritage preservation, a research team from the Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University in Türkiye has published a comprehensive review on the characterization of materials used in historical structures. Titled “Materials characterization of historical structures: A review,” the study addresses critical gaps in the understanding of building materials, which are essential for the conservation and restoration of these invaluable links to humanity’s history and culture.

The survival and transmission of historical structures, which include various natural stones and mortars, depend heavily on accurately characterizing these materials. Despite their importance, challenges remain due to a lack of holistic analysis methods and insufficient guidance on selecting appropriate characterization techniques. This new review aims to provide clarity on the methodologies available for assessing the properties of building materials.

Comprehensive Evaluation of Analytical Methods

The research systematically evaluates several analytical methods for characterizing historical building materials. It synthesizes existing research findings and clarifies the strengths and limitations of each technique. Key areas of focus include the objectives behind material property determination, sampling procedures, characteristics of testing equipment, and the results of various analyses.

Four core categories of characterization techniques are highlighted in the review:

• Physical and Thermal Property Analysis: Techniques such as Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry (MIP) are employed to assess porosity and water permeability. For instance, MIP identified two main pore size distributions in mortars from Amaiur Castle.
• Chemical Property Analysis: Techniques like X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) are used to determine mineral composition and elemental content. Notably, high concentrations of lead and zinc were detected in the black crusts of Seville Cathedral.
• Mechanical Property Analysis: Non-destructive methods, including Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) and Schmidt hammer tests, evaluate mechanical performance without damaging historical structures.
• Visualization Techniques: Techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) help visualize microstructural features, revealing hidden defects in materials, exemplified by the identification of cracks in Malatya Taşhoran Church.

Significance of Multi-Method Approaches

The review draws on extensive studies of benchmarks, including structures from the Roman period in Portugal and buildings from the 11th to 14th centuries in Spain. These comparisons validate the effectiveness of the techniques discussed. By combining multiple methods, the researchers argue that more consistent and reliable results can be achieved, laying a data-driven foundation for future scientific inquiry.

Ultimately, this review not only supports the reduction of costs in the engineering and architectural analysis of historical structures but also paves the way for the development of scientifically grounded restoration projects. The findings reflect the efforts of the research team, which includes Mertcan Demirel, Alican Topsakal, and Muhammet Gökhan Altun as the corresponding author.

The full text of the study can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11709-025-1222-3.