Moisture expansion as a deterioration factor for sandstone used in buildings

Ruedrich, Joerg; Bartelsen, Tobias; Dohrmann, R.; Siegesmund, Siegfried

doi:10.1007/s12665-010-0767-0

Cited by 150 publications

(101 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…The pore space and its properties significantly affects the weathering resistance of a natural building stone, since the pore space coevally rules the water balance (Fitzner 1988;Fitzner and Snethlage 1982;Putnis et al 1995;Putnis and Mauthe 2000;Ruedrich et al 2010a). Therefore, properties such as capillary water uptake, water vapour diffusion and saturation degree correlate in the present study with the porosities of the rocks.…”

Section: Discussion and Summarymentioning

confidence: 62%

“…Generally, the highest w values occur parallel to bedding. The reason for this anisotropy is in most cases a grainshape preferred orientation, which is typical for sandstones (Ruedrich et al 2010a). In the case of the two carbonates (Wachsenburg sinter and Wandersleben dolomite), the anisotropy is only marginally developed.…”

Section: Dimension Stones: Petrophysical Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…The water vapour diffusion (l value) is a measure of the vapour diffusion through the rock and is mainly controlled by the pore size distribution (Ruedrich et al 2010a). The non-dimensional l values vary from 9 to 49 (Table 4), which indicates only slight differences between the rocks.…”

Section: Dimension Stones: Petrophysical Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the course of time, this leads to a breaking up of the grain cohesion. Moisture expansion can occur for almost every type of rock (Weiss et al 2004, Ruedrich et al 2010a, Siegesmund and Dürrast 2011. However, porous rocks with certain clay mineral content like sandstones show pronounced moisture expansion wetting.…”

Section: Moisture Expansionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, porous rocks with certain clay mineral content like sandstones show pronounced moisture expansion wetting. Pore spaces with a high content of micropores, in combination with clay minerals (partly swellable) at least in the lithoclasts, is probably responsible for the intensity of this weathering process (Ruedrich et al 2010a).…”

Section: Moisture Expansionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Weathering behaviour and construction suitability of dimension stones from the Drei Gleichen area (Thuringia, Germany)

2011

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The construction suitability of a dimension stone depends on its weathering properties along with the petrology and the petrophysical properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the suitability of the dimension stones from the ''Drei Gleichen'' area for construction and replacement purposes. In total, six sandstones (Ingersleben, Wachsenburg, Hindfelden, Seeberg, Röhnberg, Gleichenberg; Upper Triassic) as well as two carbonates (Wachsenburg sinter; Quaternary, Wandersleben dolomite; Middle Triassic) were analysed. The results from our laboratory and on-site studies of the dimension stones show that rocks from the same stratigraphic layer, like the sandstones from the upper Triassic, can show major differences in their petrophysical and weathering properties. These differences are attributed to their different diagenesis, resulting, e.g. in varying pore space, water balance and strength properties. The pore size distribution can be divided into four different groups based on their occurring maxima and micropore content. The determined water balance properties as well as moisture expansion and salt attack depend on these groups. Next to this, the mineralogical composition significantly influences the weathering resistance. Sandstones with a high content of altered lithoclasts show a high amount of moisture expansion, low strength and, in consequence, a low weathering resistance against salt attack. Based on the results of the present study, an evaluation of construction suitability could be accomplished. From the analysed sandstones, only the Seebergen sandstone is suitable for construction purposes due to its good availability, good strength properties (high compressive and tensile strength, low softening degree) as well as a low porosity. Furthermore, the Wachsenburg sandstone also shows good petrophysical and petrological properties, but exploitable deposits are too sparse to be of commercial interest. From the carbonates, the Wachsenburg sinter shows very suitable rock parameters, but only sparse outcrops occur, which are not appropriate for mining.

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Section: Discussion and Summarymentioning

confidence: 62%

Section: Dimension Stones: Petrophysical Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Dimension Stones: Petrophysical Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Moisture Expansionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Moisture Expansionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Weathering behaviour and construction suitability of dimension stones from the Drei Gleichen area (Thuringia, Germany)

2011

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Influence of cyclic wetting‐drying on the mechanical strength characteristics of coal samples: A laboratory‐scale study

Chen

Jiang

Wang³

et al. 2019

Energy Science & Engineering

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Water‐coal interactions have gained much recent attention, although few studies focus on the strength of coal under wetting‐drying cycles. This study investigates changes in the microstructure and mechanical strength of coal that are induced by water‐coal interactions, at the macroscale and microscale. Fourteen specimens after continuous wetting and fourteen specimens after wetting‐drying cycles were tested, indicating that peak stress and elastic modulus decrease with increasing continuous wetting time and number of wetting‐drying cycles, while peak strain increases. We analyzed changes in the coal microstructure using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the Image Pro Plus 6.0 (IPP 6.0) software. The regression model for cyclic wetting‐drying reveals that porosity and pore circularity are the main correlation indicators associated with uniaxial compressive strength. Therefore, different numbers of wetting‐drying cycles could induce different degrees of damage to coal, which increases progressively through gradual changes to its microstructure. These findings indicate that wetting‐drying cycles have a more significant impact on the stability of coal mass than continuous wetting. Our results are of use in determining the size of coal pillars, and expanding the knowledge base related to the mechanical properties of coal mass, water bursting, water recharge channels, and the stress‐crack‐permeability evolution law in mines.

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Quantitative study of a rapidly weathering overhang developed in an artificially wetted sandstone cliff

Bruthans

Filippi

Schweigstillová

et al. 2016

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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Those factors controlling the weathering and erosion of sandstone on the field scale are still not well understood. In this study, a specific sandstone overhang (and its surroundings) with artificially induced and extremely high erosion rates was subjected to a complex investigation. Contrast between the erosion rate of the wet and dry portions of the same cliff enabled isolation of the factors responsible for rapid sandstone retreat. Erosion rates, moisture, and salt content, as well as suction were monitored in the field. Mineral phases and water chemistry were analyzed. The measurement of tensile strength, laboratory frost weathering tests, and numerical modeling of stress were performed. The acquired data show that an increase of moisture content in pores in the area of the studied overhang decreased tensile strength of the sandstone to 14% of its dry value, and increases the sandstone weathering and erosion rate, by nearly four orders of magnitude, compared to the same sandstone under natural moisture conditions outside of the cliff area. Consequently, frost weathering, in combination with wetting weakening was found to play a major role in weathering/erosion of the sandstone cliff and overhang. Frost weathering rate in both the laboratory and field increases up to 15 times with decreasing gravity‐induced stress. The results also indicate that sandstone landforms in temperate climates may potentially develop very rapidly if the pore space is nearly saturated with water, and will later remain relatively stable when the moisture content decreases. As a general implication, it is suggested that overhangs in Central Europe (and elsewhere) might be the result of rapid frost weathering of nearly saturated sandstone during the Last Glacial. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Moisture expansion as a deterioration factor for sandstone used in buildings

Cited by 150 publications

References 34 publications

Weathering behaviour and construction suitability of dimension stones from the Drei Gleichen area (Thuringia, Germany)

Weathering behaviour and construction suitability of dimension stones from the Drei Gleichen area (Thuringia, Germany)

Influence of cyclic wetting‐drying on the mechanical strength characteristics of coal samples: A laboratory‐scale study

Quantitative study of a rapidly weathering overhang developed in an artificially wetted sandstone cliff

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