Physicochemical and mechanical study of Mayan Archeological stony constructive materials

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V. J. Ley Paredes
J. M. Cervantes Uc
E. Perez Pacheco
C. R. Ríos Soberanis
S. Wakayama

Abstract

Mayan civilization monumental architecture has been a vital source of information to gain acknowledgement about its way of life, science and political hierarchy; consequently, examination of constructive materials of Mayan structures by using materials science characterization techniques are noteworthy. This work focuses on the study and characterization of archeological stony materials taken from the main structure on Witzinah archeological site located south of Yucatan, Mexico, in order to determine its constituted elements and chemical components. Such materials were observed under scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to establish, in accord to its micro-structural patterns, the porosity and morphology, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) to determine the chemical compounds. Calorimetric analysis through TGA was carried out in order to identify the presence of organic elements as well as Infrared analysis (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) to detect polymeric components. Preliminary results indicated that mortars contain saturated fats (esters) that were possibly originated by degradation of natural polymer (elastomeric rubber) known as polyisoprene as well as nano-clay material named Palygorskita (typified in Maya as Sak lu’um), and that both had a direct influence on the properties of the evaluated mortars used for the construction of the site Principal Building.

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How to Cite
Paredes, V. J. L., Uc, J. M. C., Pacheco, E. P., Soberanis, C. R. R., & Wakayama, S. (2019). Physicochemical and mechanical study of Mayan Archeological stony constructive materials. Journal of Applied Research and Technology, 16(4). https://doi.org/10.22201/icat.16656423.2018.16.4.727
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Articles
Author Biographies

V. J. Ley Paredes

Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Unidad de Materiales, Calle 43, No. 130, Colonia Chuburná de Hidalgo, C.P. 97200, Mérida, Yucatán, México.

J. M. Cervantes Uc

Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Unidad de Materiales, Calle 43, No. 130, Colonia Chuburná de Hidalgo, C.P. 97200, Mérida, Yucatán, México.

E. Perez Pacheco

Cuerpo Académico Bioprocesos, Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Calkiní en el Estado de Campeche, Av. Ah-Canul S/N por Carretera Federal Campeche-Mérida, C.P. 24900, Calkiní, Campeche, México

C. R. Ríos Soberanis

Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Unidad de Materiales, Calle 43, No. 130, Colonia Chuburná de Hidalgo, C.P. 97200, Mérida, Yucatán, México.

S. Wakayama

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan.