Diagnosis of capillary rise in heritage building

Abstract

The Kota Tua area of Jakarta in Indonesia is known as an area with many heritage buildings. Most of the heritage buildings in Kota Tua are vulnerable to damage. One of the potential risks to the buildings is a capillary rise, which is known as a natural event. The capillary process may threaten the construction by the high dampness on the walls, caused by rising damp of water from the ground. Besides, the risk of salt attacks carried over the wall’s surface will further cause more damage. All the physical condition degradation in heritage buildings makes the water rise quickly to wall building. This research is an observational study that measured the capillary rise level on the walls located in Jakarta’s old city area. Cipta Niaga building was used as a sample in this case report study. The research has used exchange methods by using the Gravimetric (Oven drying) Method BRE Digest 245 to determine the destruction caused by capillarity. Based on our result, there was a particular dampness wall area caused by capillary rise and was proved by the percentage of Capillary Moisture Content (CMC) 2,94 % higher than its Hygroscopic Moisture Content (HMC) 2,06%.