A comparative study between the historical stones of Al-Namrud Monument in Iraq and the fresh stones extracted from its quarry using TGA and XRD analysis

Abstract EN

This study implies a characterization and comparison between the historical limestone and gypsum stones of Al-Namrud or (Calah) monument which located in the north of Iraq 37 km to the eastern south of Mosul city (eastern bank of the Tigris river) and those (fresh) extracted from Al-Mur hill which supposed to be its quarry (according to the historicity and archeology references).

The aim of this study is the conviction of the veracity of these references depending on a number of complementary engineering techniques.

These tests include physicochemical and mineralogical properties of fresh and historical stones, textural arrangement of particles (porosity and pore size distribution) by mercury porosimetry tests ; water transfer properties by water retention curve test ; bulk density at dry state by hydrostatic weighing method have been executed.

Also a comparison between the fresh and historical stones has been carried out by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA).

Results shows for the historical stone higher porosity and different pore size distribution, water transfer properties in comparison to the fresh stone.

Also, a high match in the compositions of stone materials of both historical and fresh one reflect the rightness of the historicity and archeology references and their consideration of being Al-Mur hill the quarry of Al-Namrud monument.