Masonry wall preservation at saigon notre-dame cathedral

The Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral in Ho Chi Minh City is typical cultural historical relics and also an urban heritage of the French colonial period in Vietnam. Together with other coverage elements like the roof and the stained glass window, the masonry wall plays a primary role of its appearance. The objective of this article is to report our survey works done in 2014-2016 in view of architectural form and structural durability, in consideration of authenticity and stability. Methods used include site-survey on constituent materials and construction methods used in 1880, particularly brick and rock materials, and the role of lime mortar as a bond agent, classification of types of masonry damage and degradation. Upon surveying and classifying, several analysis options on cost and benefit values were considered and compared for possible proposed solutions. Case study methods are used with several lessons learnt from world-wide practices. Expected findings are feasible solutions, which are to be evaluated upon set of values of, but not limited to features of historical authenticity, aesthetics, durability, economics, its usage function and structural stability. Research limitation and implications is limited to a few cases mentioned including clay material for brick and natural rock used in the cathedral wall. The findings on this particular cathedral including good and bad practices in the past may contribute considerably valuable results for lime masonry wall practice, particularly the movable and breathable porous structure of the lime mortar and the brick itself in a humid and rainy weather condition.