Opportunities for rehabilitation of facades of historic buildings in Moldova with limestone elements

Abstract

Most buildings of historical and architectural value located in the Republic of Moldova are built of limestone or brick. The facades are decorated with columns, semi-columns and pilasters, balusters, bas-relief, and consoles. The degradation of historic buildings over time leads to the need for rehabilitation and restoration. Often privately owned buildings are repaired with the application of modern materials without taking into account the original materials, without researching the original elements and materials. Authentic decorative elements are replaced by polyurethane foam elements, which due to their easy installation and relatively low cost, can significantly reduce the financial costs of finishing and decorating facades. The interior walls of the brick are covered with plasterboard. The exterior walls of limestone are plastered with cement-based mortar instead of lime-based mortar. In some cases, the walls were covered with polystyrene. All these replacements reduce the architectural and historical value of the buildings lead to the loss of their authenticity. In order to preserve the value of historic buildings, it is necessary to use local materials. This research examines the possibilities of using limestone both for the rehabilitation of masonry and for the restoration of the decorative elements of buildings built in the XVIII-XX centuries.