Evaluating the Potential Damage to Stones From Wetting and Drying Cycles

Experimental sandstone weathering using different wetting and drying moisture amplitudes

“…Although some studies employ real-time cycles (e.g. Hall and Hall, 1996;Cantón et al, 2001;Kanyaya and Trenhaile, 2005), an accelerated laboratory simulation process has also been used (see, e.g., Wells et al, 2005), and González and Scherer (2006) introduce a technique by which wetting and drying cycles may be automated and accelerated. The properties that are tested for also vary from basic physical property tests (see, e.g., Hall and Hall, 1996) to measurement of changes in rock surface microtopography by means of non-contact laser profiling (Pardini et al, 1996) and measurement of rock expansion and contraction by use of a traversing micro-erosion meter (Trenhaile, 2006).…”

Weathering of basalt and sandstone by wetting and drying: a process isolation study

“…For example, Huggett () considers wetting and drying to be more or less synonymous with ‘slaking’, which refers to clay mineral hydration, whereas others (Yatsu ; Bland and Rolls ) note that wetting and drying may cause rock degradation even in rocks that contain little or no clay minerals. Although the mechanics of wetting and drying are not completely understood, studies have shown that rocks inundated in water will increase their dimensions over the period of a wetting event (Pejon and Zuquette ; Gonzalez and Scherer ), lending credence to the idea of hysteresis (Hall and Hall ).…”

“…Changes in temperature can give rise to thermal fatigue and thermal shock (Hall 1997). Changes in moisture can cause salt weathering (Fahey 1986;Goudie and Parker 1998), wetting and drying (Hall and Hall 1996;Sumner and Loubser 2008) and clay mineral hydration (Gonzalez and Scherer 2006). An array of processes (freeze-thaw, salt weathering, carbonation and oxidation) can be brought about (or at least be influenced) by both of the driving forces.…”

“…While 'slaking' has been studied in considerable detail (such as in Brattli and Broch 1996;Botts 1998;Gökçeoglu et al 2000;Gonzalez and Scherer 2006), this is often within the context of engineering geology or material science. Geomorphic experiments investigating wetting and drying as a weathering process are few.…”

Numerical analysis of historical masonry structures for stone degradation diagnosis : An application to the Roman Amphitheater of Nîmes

“…Such studies oriented to conservation and restoration purpose are used to be conducted to determine the structural safety for various actions like gravity, soil settlement or earthquake and to conclude on potential remedial measures [2], [3], [4], [5]. On the other hand, stone damage is studied by a different scientific community which focusses on the petrophysical characteristics without relation with the structural analysis [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11]. This paper features an original contribution to address the stone degradation diagnosis in close relation with the structural aspects.…”