Stone buildings, decay

Lewin, S.Z. (1980) The mechanism of masonry decay through crystallization, Conservation of historic stone buildings and monuments. National Acad. Press, Washington D.C. 

Lewin, S. Z. The Mechanism of Masomy Decay Through Crystallization Conseiwation of Histone Stone Buildings and Monuments National Academy Press Washington D.C., 1982 pp. 120-144,... 

In the earliest stages of human history, people and their homi-nid ancestors relied on easily obtainable natural materials, such as wood, stone, and clay. They developed techniques for fashioning these materials into the weapons, tools, buildings, and household items needed in their everyday lives. The earliest recorded tools date to 3.1 to 2.5 million years ago from the Hadar region of Africa. These tools were made of volcanic rock and were probably used to shape household items, weapons, and other tools. If the earliest humans made and used tools of organic materials, such as skin or rope, they would all have decayed, and no record of them remains today. 

Decay of stone can take place through efflorences which are encrustations formed at the surface they produce discoloration at the facades of buildings and upon repeated crystallization and hydration, they mechanically disintegrate the stone. 

Radon is produced when uranium-238, an element present in many rock layers and soil, decays. Because buildings are huilt on top of soil, and sometimes constructed of stone and hrick, radon gas often accumulates inside. 

Figure 6 Damage function for stone. Stone decay proceeds, often at an assumed linear rate, to a critical threshold point. Beyond this point the damage is unacceptable. Unlike some phenomena to which this form of analysis has been applied, reducing pollution does not reverse the effects of damage. Certain suites of processes may operate at a more rapid rate to alter the stone, even under the same pollution conditions, than other suites of processes. This could result in differential damage on a building...

OTHER COMMENTS used in the manufacture of weatherproof and acid-proof mortars and cements, refractory bricks, heat-resistant and chemical-resistant paints, lacquers, and protective coatings for industrial buildings and castings also used in hardening stone useful in arresting decay and disintegration. 

More damage to stone has occurred due to the corrosion of metallic bars than by any other mechanisms of stone decay. Fortunately, such bars are commonly present in structural units of the building and not in the sculptured regions where their effect would be even more serious. 

A number of factors influence salt crystallization decay porous building stones, including (1) environmental controls (2) the nature of the... 

Decay of building materials is a very complex phenomenon depending not only on the composition of the considered materials and the studied building, but also on factors related to the building environment. Masonry is made up of variable materials (e.g, bricks, stones, mortars) susceptible to be affected by decay. The damage caused by calcium sulphate has been related to the atmospheric pollution in diverse areas of the world. However, this problem... 

Torfs, K., Van Grieken, R., 1997. Chemical relations between atmospheric aerosols deposition and stone decay layers on historic buildings at the Mediterranean coast. Atmos. Environ. 31, 2179-2192. 

Nitrate bearing earth or other material, about 3-1/2 gallons (13-1/2 liters) Soil containing old decayed vegetable or animal matter Old cellars and/or farm dirt floors Earth from old burial grounds Decayed stone or mortar building foundations... 

Warnes, A. R. (1926). Building stones, their properties, decay, and preservation. Ernest Benn. 

In a similar way, acidified rain also leads to erosion and decay of buildings and statues. Many ancient stone statues on... 

CardeU C, Delalieux F, Roumpopoulos K, Moropoulou A, Auger F, Van Grieken R (2003) Salt-induced decay in calcareous stone monuments and buildings in a marine environment in SW France. Constr Build Mater 17(3) 165-179. doi 10.1016/S0950-0618(02)00104-6 Cardiano P (2008) Hydrophobic properties of new epoxy-silica hybrids. J Appl Polym Sd 108(5) 3380-3387. doi 10.1002/app.27985... 

BACKGROUND AND LOCAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO ACIDIC DEPOSITION AND THEIR RELATIVE IMPACT ON BUILDING STONE DECAY ... 

Northern Ireland thus provides a particular opportunity to study natural patterns and causes of building stone decay and also the impact of local pollution sources. To do this we examine in this paper first, the nature of rural and urban atmospheric pollution in Northern Ireland second, decay of sandstone buildings in Belfast together with the nature of associated particulate pollution and finally, decay associated with atmospheric pollution is compared to that caused by other agencies in both rural and urban environments. 

In view of these conditions it is understandable that building stone decay, especially of the traditionally dominant sandstones, is widespread and often severe within Belfast. As a consequence, cleaning and renovation of buildings has become equally widespread in recent years. Unfortunately, this work frequently progresses in the absence of a detailed knowledge of the nature and causes of local decay and, apart from... 

The descriptive terms used draw on standard terminologies from both building stone and geomorphological research. The latter is judged particularly relevant to the study of sandstone decay given the relative paucity of published material within building... 

BUILDING STONE DECAY FIELD DATA COLLECTION FORM... 

Stone decay evident at City Hosp. to NW (Sst) Q.U.B. (Portland dressings to brick buildings + Sst) adjacent at E churches in general vicinity. 

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