Experimental investigation of the salt influence on the hygric performance of granites

Abstract

The formation/propagation of salt crystals throughout the stone pore system is one of the most important reasons leading to damage in masonry structures. The presence of salt crystals in the structure of materials affects expressively the hygric properties of materials. The present study describes the hygric performance of granite stones from the Northern region of Portugal in the presence of sodium chloride (NaCl) salt crystals. The experimental campaign included several types of tests namely, vacuum saturation tests, sorption/desorption isotherm tests, and Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) tests. The obtained results intends to contribute for a better understanding of the influence of salt crystallization on the deterioration of stone materials