Area 5, viewed from the exterior.

Note

Key characteristics

Like area 4, area 5 also exhibits an asymmetric pattern of failure, probably for similar reasons. W51.39 is a wing wall, supported only at its base and at the vertical intersection with W39.viaS with no floor framing to provide bracing. This condition makes W39.51 very vulnerable to out-of-plane failure, and it is likely that the wall failed first, providing an asymmetric support condition for W39.viaS, with the support much lower on the west end, leading the asymmetric pattern of failure. Note that the repair area is much larger than that for area 4, since there are no shop walls in area 5 to provide buttressing.

Selected Photographs

Area 5 viewed from the exterior, with area 4 in the background

Area 5 viewed from the exterior, west end Area 5 of the Macellum shows a rare instance of heterogeneous repair material coigning with brick, although the coigning is irregular.

Detail of irregular coigning and repair material In the 6x6 coigning scheme, the pattern becomes irregular immediately above the seam between the opus reticulatum and the repair material.

Detail of area 5 viewed from the west It can be seen that a portion of the wall is leaning outward by about 3 to 5 cm.

Detail at west end of area 5 Note the vertical crack and the scooping crack, nearly parallel with the repair seam.

Overall view of the south-east corner viewed from the interior. This view shows the wing walls W51.39 and W50.51 flanking the south entrance. note how the walls are lower at their north ends, which has no lateral support.

W39.viaS and W39.51 Area 5 viewed from the interior. Note that W39.51 steps down away from the corner, a likely mode of out-of-plane failure for a wing wall. Note that the repair material of are 5 coigns with the brick at the corner, implying that the repair and the brick are contemporaneous construction.

W39.viaS and W39.87 Note the vertical crack at where the opus incertum interfaces with outer face of the brick coigning.

Detail of repair seam at west end of W39.viaS Note the fragment of brick coigning just above the repair seam; it is not integral with the other brickwork.