Durability assessment of brick and stone structures in engineering surveys

Introduction. According to the main legal acts of the Russian Federation that regulate the procedure of inspection and monitoring of buildings and structures, the technical statement should include the results obtained during the studies and calculations of possible temporal variations. However, these results are virtually absent in the monitoring technical documentation presented today. In the case of brickwork, this is primarily due to the lack of reliable methods for durability surveys. For example, the formation of salts in the brick material can affect its durability. Such reactions are considered as the side reactions of the second type, i.e., reactions caused by external effects.Aim. To develop an engineering technique for assessing the durability of a brick material on the basis of a mathematical model.Materials and methods. The article presents the results obtained in a survey of a free-standing brick building, as part of the “GES-2” Moscow multifunctional complex built in 1906, using the developed techniques. The process of brick material destruction is considered according to the laws of physical chemistry and described by a multi-stage process.Results. The developed technique for assessing the durability of building ceramics can be additionally used to assess the residual durability of a historical building brick material.Conclusion. During the durability assessment of building walls made of ceramic masonry materials, it is necessary to take into account not only the frost resistance, but also the chemical destruction of materials. It is proposed to supplement the masonry inspection technique outlined in GOST 31937-2011 with the following items: sampling rules for the subsequent determination of the moisture content in structural materials with a statement of the requirements for equipment; sampling rules for the subsequent determination of the material residual durability, including the technique for calculating residual durability.