Strength Characterization of Historical Masonry Building in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

This study aims to characterize the strength of historical brick masonry buildings constructed with mud mortar by conducting a series of in-situ tests. Many of these structures are located in seismic regions and have suffered significant damage due to earthquakes. Masonry buildings are inherently vulnerable to seismic events, with performance varying from building to building. Since evaluating the mechanical properties of every masonry structure is often impractical, this study focuses on generalizing the mechanical properties of historical buildings with mud mortar. Seven different historical buildings were selected for the study. In-situ tests, including compression tests, shear tests, and pocket penetrometer tests, were conducted to determine the mechanical properties of the masonry, while brick tests were carried out in the laboratory to assess the compressive strength of the bricks. The results indicated that the compressive strength of brick masonry in mud mortar was 2.85 N/mm², while the shear strength was 0.06 N/mm². The compressive strengths of the mud mortar and bricks were 1.33 N/mm² and 9.09 N/mm², respectively, and the modulus of elasticity was estimated at 1570.1 N/mm². This study provides valuable mechanical property data for historical brick masonry buildings with mud mortar, offering a reference for future evaluations of similar structures where such properties are unknown, especially in the context of seismic vulnerability.