Physicochemical and Pozzolanic Properties of the Bricks Used in Certain Historic Buildings in Anatolia

Abstract

In this study, the pozzolanic and physicochemical properties of the bricks used in a number of historic buildings built between the second and ninth centuries were investigated. To test this assumption, samples were taken from certain historic buildings dating back to the Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire or Ottoman Empire in order to conduct ICP analyses, chemical analyses and XRD-based mineralogical analyses. To study the pozzolanic properties of the bricks, lime mortars were prepared in accordance with the TS 25 and ASTM C 593-05 standards. These analyses indicate that to some extent all the bricks sampled contain pozzolanic properties. These findings indicate that these bricks were fired at low temperatures in kilns.