Integrated Strategy to Assess Conservation Treatments on Sandstone

Sandstone has been traditionally exploited worldwide for building stone because of its widespread availability. This class of materials comprises a range of stones with variable mineralogical, microstructural and mechanical properties. Upon prolonged exposure in the outdoor conditions typical for built heritage, and depending on the specific environmental threats, sandstone surfaces can undergo severe deterioration (Doehne and Price 2011; Siegesmund and Snethlage 2011).A thorough understanding of the inherent stone properties, of the damage mechanisms involved in such processes, and of the extent of the changes are fundamental to planning an effective conservation strategy. These factors are also essential for assessing the efficacy of treatments for cleaning, consolidation and surface protection. The characterization of compositional, microstructural and mechanical properties of porous materials in …