Fiber Analysis

The Yuzhen Palace is one of the nine palaces in the Ancient Building Complex built by order of the Yongle Emperor during the Ming dynasty. The buildings were built with dressed black bricks. As a result of the planned national South–North Water Diversion project, the water level in the Danjiangkou Reservoir that surrounds the Yuzhen Palace was expected to rise by approximately 15 m. To avoid submersion of the site, three gates were elevated by 15 m in 2013 and other buildings dismantled, for later reconstruction. The characterization of the construction materials has therefore become of primary importance. Here, we present results on the plasters of the Longhu Hall. The analysis of materials involved a multi‐analytical approach combining optical and electron microscopy with X‐ray and vibrational spectromicroscopies and thermogravimetry. The results indicated the use of two earthen plaster layers and a whitewash finish coating applied over a thin preparatory intermediate layer to imp...

The fiber-cutting process used for hemp and ramie fiber is also known to have been used in old papermaking processes. In this process, fiber was cut into lengths of a few millimeters using a knife. This fiber-cutting process, called setsu, is described in Engishiki Vol. 13, a collection of historical Japanese regulations compiled in the 10th century. An analysis of the paper used in the Shosoin treasure documents collection from the 8th century—one of the oldest such collections in Japan—revealed that the fibers used were cut into lengths of a few millimeters. However, whether a similar fiber-cutting process was used for old Chinese paper is unknown. In this study, the surfaces of paper used in the Dunhuang manuscripts from the Pelliot and Stein collections were observed by a nondestructive microscopy method. Cut fiber bundles were found in six documents dating from the Early or High Tang Dynasty as well as in three undated documents estimated to be from the Sui or High Tang Dynasty, according to a codicological study of the Dunhuang manuscripts. All the documents were written on kozo paper instead of hemp or ramie paper. The mean length of the cut fiber bundles was approximately 3 mm with a range of 1.7 to 3.4 mm. These results show that the same type of fiber-cutting process was used as in the old kozo papermaking processes. In addition, because the two documents from the Sui Dynasty are older than any old Japanese paper, these results suggest that the fiber-cutting process came to Japan from China.

Sawdust waste material is a by-product of manufacturing furniture and other wood products. It poses a major problem for the environment if no action is considered to get rid of it. For this reason, this research presents a new modality for recycling sawdust west material as a partial replacement of a plaster of Paris (POP). Six composite mortars prepared from different sawdust ratios 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 % by wt. of POP were used to investigate the physical and mechanical properties of these mortars. The effect of different temperature levels (100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 Cₒ) on the properties of these composite mortars was also investigated. The results show that the optimal proportion of sawdust in the mortar was 10 %, where the compressive strength increased by about 51.47 % compared to the reference mix (without sawdust) at 50 Cₒ. Additionally, there was a development in the modulus of rupture (MOR) for composite mixtures. The 6% sawdust content exhibited a 28.33 % increase in MOR...

Inductive inference is basic to forensic science. The forensic scientist logically infers ion on cause, history, individuals or place involved in a human event from items at a crime scene. Many times this involves hypothesis testing-These analyses can on the items themselves or on the form and,/or the pattern they present. Examples of the md application of forensic science analyses to archaeological samples will be presented. studies involving a shroud, scrolls and population shifts will be used to illustrate the ion contained in microscopic detail and the use of the habitual nature of some such as sewing, the spiruring of threads and writing. A sub theme of tion, the understanding of disparate requirements and capabilities and the need for integrated and step-by-step approach encompassing the archaeological and the scientific be stressed.