Experimental Reinforcement Agent for Damaged Walls of Payathonzu Temple Murals in Bagan, Myanmar

Abstract

This study focuses on reinforcement agents for wall damage, such as cracks, breakage, or delamination, for mural paintings from the Payathonzu temple. Experiments were conducted with filling and grouting agents based on the reinforcing method. In the filling reinforcement experiment, different mixing ratios of lime to sand, and additives (jaggery, seaweed glue, and Primal SF-016) were used. In the grouting reinforcement experiment, the mixing ratio of lime and pozzolan was the same, and the additive types were identical to the filling reinforcement experiment. The filling reinforcement experiment showed that there were fewer physical changes such as contraction, with a greater mixing ratio of lime to sand, however, the compressive strength decreased as the mixing ratio increased. With additives, the change in volume of agent decreased and the compressive strength increased, which was especially prominent for jaggery and Primal SF-016. The grouting reinforcement experiment showed that there was a remarkable contraction with an increased amount of moisture that originates from the characteristic of grouting agents that requires flowability. With additives, the water content of the agent decreased, whereas the compressive strength and adhesion increased. Among the additives, Primal SF-016 exhibited the highest compressive strength, and seaweed glue exhibited the most considerable viscosity and adhesion. The study results showed that the characteristics of reinforcement agents vary according to the mixing ratio and additives of the filling and grouting agents. Therefore, it is necessary to selectively apply the mixing ratio and additives for different reinforcement agents considering the wall damage for conservation treatments.

Organic Matter and Pigments in the Wall Paintings of Me-Taw-Ya Temple in Bagan Valley, Myanmar

“…Plaster's constitutive materials range depending on the chronology: mud, lime, sand with glue and jaggery (plant-derived sugar) were used in an earlier period (11th-12th century) while sand and lime were more commonly utilised in the later periods (from the 13th to 16th century) [4,5]. The plasters were composed of one or more layers and usually, a thin primer of slaked lime was applied [6,7].…”