Porosity of natural stone and use of confocal laser scanning microscopy on calcitic marble aged in laboratory

• Main Authors: Ana Mladenovič, Tadeja Muck, Alenka Mauko, Breda Mirtič
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Geological Survey of Slovenia 2008-06-01
• Series: Geologija
• Subjects: porosity; CLSM confocal laser scanning microscopy; image analysis; natural stone; calcitic marble
• Online Access: http://www.geologija-revija.si/dokument.aspx?id=1014

Porosity is one of the key characteristics of natural stone, which influences ondurability as well as functionality of stone as building material. Further, deterioration processes themselves are also characterized by change of porosity. Different direct and indirect techniques can be used for porosity determination. In the following paper overview of these methods, as well as their advantages and disadvantages, is given. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) is indirect (microscopic) technique. Despite its numerous advantages, among which 3D visualizationof pore structure is of major importance, this technique is less known in the area of building materials. An example how CLSM can be applied for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of porosity of calcitic polygonal granoblastic marble is given in this paper. Studied marble has been, despite of its poor durability, often used as building material, especially in the case of claddings. It is shown that thermal hydric factors of deterioration can influence porosity significantly,especially formation of intergranular cracks.This kind of deterioration can be successfully evaluated with use of CLSM method, if samples are suitable prepared and if suitable image analysis tools are developed.