wAbstract
@The influence of pore structure, water transport properties and
rock strength on salt weathering is evaluated by means of a thorough
rock characterisation and a statistical analysis. The pore structure
was described in terms of its porosity, pore size distribution
(quantified by mean pore radius) and specific surface area, density
and water transport was characterised by means of water permeability
(saturated flow) and capillary imbibition (unsaturated flow);
whilst the rock strength test was carried out using uniaxial compressive
strength, compressional and shear wave velocities, dynamic elastic
constants and waveform energy and attenuation were obtained from
the digital analysis of the transmitted signal. A principal component
analysis and a stepwise multiple regression model was carried
out in order to examine the direct relationships between salt
weathering and petrophysical properties. From the principal component
analysis, two main components were obtained and assigned a petrophysical
meaning. The first component is mostly linked to mechanical properties,
porosity and density whereas the second component is associated
with the water transport and pore structure. Salt weathering,
quantified by the percentage of weight loss after salt crystallisation,
was included in both principal components, showing its dependence
on their petrophysical properties. The stepwise multiple regression
analysis found that rock strength has a predominant statistical
weight in the prediction of salt weathering, with a minor contribution
of water transport and pore structure parameters.
Keywords: Building stone; Durability; Permeability; Petrophysics;
Pore structure; Principal component analysis; Rock strength; Salt
weatheringx
Introduction
Experimental procedures
@Materials
@Porous media characterisation
@Water transport characterisation
@Strength characterisation
@Salt crystallisation test
Results and discussion
Conclusions
Acknowledgments
References