Restoration and Preservation Studies for Casa Grande National Monument
Sultan HA and Kriegh JD. 1974. Restoration and Preservation Studies for Casa Grande National Monument. Historic Structure Report. The University of Arizona, College of Engineering. Tucson, Arizona
This study was initiated to investigate the best possible techniques to provide structural restoration and stability to the Casa Grande, along with providing preservation techniques and materials to protect the ruins against erosion forces. The studies were divides into two categories: work directed toward restoration and structural stability, and work directed toward stabilization and preservation. Casa Grande was built by Hohokam Indians and is dated near 1300 C.E. It was built of soft caliche, which consists of a blend of calcium carbonate and alluvial material that is mixed with water into a stiff mixture that hardens upon exposure. At the time of writing, the walls were fractured and subject to weathering effects like the erosion of rainwater and sandstorm abrasion. Restoration research involved the development of an epoxy resin compatible with the physical properties of the adobe. Preservation work involved the use of various waterproofing treatments, and laboratory studies and field studies were conducted to evaluate their effectiveness. These studies, which indicate the feasibility of restoring and preserving the big house using existing techniques and materials, are reported in this paper. This paper was prepared for presentation at the Geological Society of America, Annual Meeting, November 18-20, 1974 in Miami Beach, Florida (Engineering Geology Division Symposium - Preservation of Stone).
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Sultan, Hassan; Kriegh, James
- Date of Issue
- 1974-11
- Publisher
- The University of Arizona, College of Engineering
- Units
- CAGR , IMR
- Keywords
- adobe, big house, caliche, chemical stabilizer, chemical treatment, excavation, Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, field test, geology, Hohokam Indians, laboratory test, Pima Indians, preservation study, preservation treatment, Pueblo