AŁYKOW, KRZYSZTOF1; NAPIÓRKOWSKA – AŁYKOW, MAGDALENA2
1) MSc, Team of Civil Engineers AŁYKOW, biuro@alykow.com
2) PhD, Wrocław University of Technology, dydaktyka@alykow.com
The article presents the influence of temperature and the cracks on the structural behaviour of church vaults as exemplified by the selected religious building of Lower-Silesia in Poland. The authors focused on Baroque Basilica in Krzeszów.
In this article the authors analysed how the long-term cycle of outdoor temperature had affected brick vaults and cracks in those vaults, and what impact this could have on the murals. In this region of Europe the differences of temperature range from ca. -30 grades Celsius in winter to +30 grades Celsius in summer.
The authors installed a thermometer, hygrometer and a crack-meter on the vaults in the church in Krzeszów. The collecting of information and the research were carried out for about a year. The results obtained by the authors are presented in this paper. The authors have analysed what ought to be done in order to avoid and minimize the damage to the brick vaults. The authors have addressed the question concerning the impact of the temperature-changes phenomenon on the construction of vaults.
The authors hope that this article could trigger a debate on the effects of the correlation of both temperature and cracks in monumental buildings and their historical value.
Keywords: Monument, Church, Vaults, Temperature, Cracks