ABSTRACT

This chapter shows that the studies on the classification method of the Chinese traditional brick-wood architectural heritages based on the architectural forms and the structural features firstly. Then the common damages of these heritages were summarized and analyzed, and the factors leading to their damages were revealed and the conservation methods of these heritages were proposed. The main types of traditional Chinese brick-wood architectural heritages include brick-wood pagodas, watchtowers with outer brick walls and inner timber columns, buildings with timber purlins on gables, modern brick-wood structures, and gate towers on city gates. The causes of brick-wood structural damages are of two types: the type of load crack, which reflects the unstability or lack of bearing capacity of brick wall and the type of wall crack resulting from the uneven settlement of foundation or temperature change. The main problem existing in Chinese historic brickwood structure is the material difference between brick and timber.