Characterization of early 20th-century German bandstands metal alloys exposed to the Amazonian weathering of Belém, Brazil

Thainá Thais Silva  Oliveira; Flávia Olegário  Palácios

doi:10.14568/cp35869

Authors

Thainá Thais Silva Oliveira Federal University of Pará, Cultural Heritage Sciences Graduate Program, Architecture and Urban Planning Graduate Program, Castilhos França Blvd. (w/o no.), 66010-060 Belém, Pará, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4973-1723
Flávia Olegário Palácios Federal University of Pará, Cultural Heritage Sciences Graduate Program, Architecture and Urban Planning Graduate Program, Castilhos França Blvd. (w/o no.), 66010-060 Belém, Pará, Brazil; Federal University of Pará, Conservation and Restoration Faculty, Castilhos França Blvd. (w/o no.), 66010-060 Belém, Pará, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2818-2507

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14568/cp35869

Keywords:

Iron alloys, Cast iron, Corrosion products, Iron architecture, Architectural heritage

Abstract

The iron industry's progress in the 18th and 19th centuries has left a noteworthy built heritage in non-European countries, such as Brazil. Among the cities, Belém holds five metallic bandstands imported from Germany and installed in Batista Campos Square in 1903. Despite the historical, architectural, technical, and social significance, these structures are facing gradual deterioration, disfigurement, and improper maintenance due to a lack of knowledge. To address these issues and gain a deeper understanding of the materials, this paper aims to characterize the metal alloys and corrosion products of these bandstands. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analyses were conducted on different structural parts. The results showed a significant use of nodular gray cast iron, steel application, their corrosion products, and an assessment of the conservation state of the coatings. This information enhances the knowledge of the use of ferrous alloys and their corrosion in historical buildings.

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