Non-destructive and destructive tests on opus incertum masonry panels

The conservation of ancient masonry structures requires knowledge of their structural behavior. At the same time, the possibility to perform standard mechanical tests on heritage structures is limited by the need for the preservation of the cultural heritage. This paper presents the results of a deep experimental program aimed at the mechanical characterization of masonry panels reproducing the ancient technique opus incertum found at the Pompeii archaeological site. They were built based on the traditional technique by using original rock units and a typical mortar mixture. The experimental program firstly involved sonic pulse velocity tests and diagonal compression tests on three masonry panels, 1.20m x 1.20m x 0.45m. Then, axial compression tests on five masonry specimens extracted from the three panels were carried out. In the following, the main results of the experimental program are presented and discussed and relevant correlations among the results of non-destructive tests and destructive tests are defined to provide a useful tool for a preliminary assessment of the structural behavior of similar ancient masonries.