Artificial weathering of granite

• Main Authors: T. Rivas Brea, B. Prieto Lamas, B. Silva Hermo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas 2008-06-01
• Series: Materiales de Construccion
• Subjects: artificial weathering tests; salt crystallisation cycles; granite
• Online Access: http://materconstrucc.revistas.csic.es/index.php/materconstrucc/article/view/80
• ISSN: 0465-2746; 1988-3226

This article summarizes a series of artificial weathering tests run on granite designed to: simulate the action of weathering agents on buildings and identify the underlying mechanisms, determine the salt resistance of different types of rock; evaluate consolidation and water-repellent treatment durability; and confirm hypotheses about the origin of salts such as gypsum that are often found in granite buildings. Salt crystallization tests were also conducted, using sodium chloride, sodium sulphate, calcium sulphate and seawater solutions. One of these tests was conducted in a chamber specifically designed to simulate salt spray weathering and another in an SO2 chamber to ascertain whether granite is subject to sulphation. The test results are analyzed and discussed, along with the shortcomings of each type of trial as a method for simulating the decay observed in monuments. The effect of factors such as wet-dry conditions, type of saline solution and the position of the planes of weakness on the type of decay is also addressed.