Properties of Bricks and Masonry of Historical Buildings as a Background for Safe Renovation Measures

AbstractThis article is the first approach of research aimed to recognize historical building materials and their properties, analyzing safe and effective renovation measures to decrease energy consumption for heating of buildings built before 1940. Brick samples taken from historical buildings were tested to assess their compressive strength, soluble salt content and water absorption. In addition the external wall heat transfer coefficient was determined and the moisture level in masonry was set in two different climatic conditions