{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,22]],"date-time":"2025-10-22T18:23:29Z","timestamp":1761157409453,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":58,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,7]],"date-time":"2022-08-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1659830400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","award":["UIDP\/04449\/2020","UIDB\/04449\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDP\/04449\/2020","UIDB\/04449\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Separations"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The historical monuments of the \u2018City of Temples\u2019 (Kathmandu) represent an intrinsic component of Nepal\u2019s cultural heritage. The 2015 devastating Gorkha earthquake, besides human casualties, has led to a widespread demolition or partial damage of monuments at UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the ones in Durbar squares. This study, through an integrated material characterization of masonry binders, used in four case monuments from Hanuman Dhoka and Patan Durbar squares, intends to contribute to the knowledge of the technological know-how of the past in order to maintain as much as possible the original traditions and to provide appropriate conservation strategies. The analytical characterization of the ancient mortars was carried out by means of X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Attenuated Total Reflectance\u2013Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), petrographic analysis, X-ray Fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and Pyrolysis\u2013Gas Chromatography\u2013Mass Spectrometry (Py-GC-MS). The composition of the mortars has been determined and is in accordance with previous research in traditional materials used in the Nepalese architecture. Chromatographic techniques proved to be particularly important in the analysis of mortars with organic binders as they revealed the possible composition of the binding media, providing additional information valuable for the future conservation\/restoration of the stone monuments of the \u2018City of Temples\u2019.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/separations9080205","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,9]],"date-time":"2022-08-09T04:16:55Z","timestamp":1660018615000},"page":"205","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["A Multi-Analytical Characterization of Mortars from Kathmandu (Nepal) Historical Monuments"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"Anna","family":"Tsoupra","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"HERCULES Laboratory, University of \u00c9vora, Pal\u00e1cio do Vimioso, Largo Marqu\u00eas de Marialva, 8, 7000-809 \u00c9vora, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Monalisa","family":"Maharjan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CIDEHUS\u2014Centro Interdisciplinar de Hist\u00f3ria, Culturas e Sociedades da Universidade de \u00c9vora, Pal\u00e1cio do Vimioso, Largo Marqu\u00eas de Marialva, 8, 7000-809 \u00c9vora, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6035-6656","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dora","family":"Teixeira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"HERCULES Laboratory, University of \u00c9vora, Pal\u00e1cio do Vimioso, Largo Marqu\u00eas de Marialva, 8, 7000-809 \u00c9vora, Portugal"},{"name":"Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, School of Sciences and Technology, University of \u00c9vora, Rua Rom\u00e3o Ramalho 59, 7000-671 \u00c9vora, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Antonio","family":"Candeias","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"HERCULES Laboratory, University of \u00c9vora, Pal\u00e1cio do Vimioso, Largo Marqu\u00eas de Marialva, 8, 7000-809 \u00c9vora, Portugal"},{"name":"Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, School of Sciences and Technology, University of \u00c9vora, Rua Rom\u00e3o Ramalho 59, 7000-671 \u00c9vora, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Cristina","family":"Galacho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"HERCULES Laboratory, University of \u00c9vora, Pal\u00e1cio do Vimioso, Largo Marqu\u00eas de Marialva, 8, 7000-809 \u00c9vora, Portugal"},{"name":"Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, School of Sciences and Technology, University of \u00c9vora, Rua Rom\u00e3o Ramalho 59, 7000-671 \u00c9vora, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Patr\u00edcia","family":"Moita","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"HERCULES Laboratory, University of \u00c9vora, Pal\u00e1cio do Vimioso, Largo Marqu\u00eas de Marialva, 8, 7000-809 \u00c9vora, Portugal"},{"name":"Geosciences Department, School of Sciences and Technology, University of \u00c9vora, Rua Rom\u00e3o Ramalho 59, 7000-671 \u00c9vora, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Ojha, T.P. 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