Evaluation of Repair Methods for Structural Cracks: Early Period Monastic Architecture, Ladakh Case: Mangyu Monastery

Decorated surfaces on earthen architecture and their structural problems are issues of prime concern to this thesis. It assesses methods of structural repairs to cracks for Early Period (9th-11th century) Monastic buildings in Ladakh, India. The aim is to investigate and evaluate compatible repair techniques for the structural problems in such buildings in accordance with current knowledge for earthen buildings. The main objectives of the study are to research on early period monasteries in India as a building type, their structural and seismic characteristics; document the defects and investigate the structural problems by means of a case study; determine possible causes of deterioration; to review various techniques of repair and consolidation (includes traditional and contemporary) of structural cracks; and finally evaluate the suitability and applicability of these methods for decorated surfaces by using criteria’s developed for intervention.