Thesis

Experimental design to evaluate the impact of precipitation regimes on the rates of dissolution of sedimentary building stones and implications for predictive modeling

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Awarding institution
  • University of Strathclyde
Date of award
  • 2024
Thesis identifier
  • T17048
Person Identifier (Local)
  • 201952035
Qualification Level
Qualification Name
Department, School or Faculty
Abstract
  • Sedimentary stone represents one of the main materials used in construction since ancient times, whose durability can be greatly affected by environmental exposure. Water represents a major factor of stone degradation and, as a consequence, building stones exposed to high precipitation environments, such as Scotland, are highly vulnerable. Assessing the durability of the stone is crucial to plan for appropriate conservation strategies and interventions. This requires the identification of the factors that control the decay progression and their respective contribution to the rate of degradation. This research explored the influence of rainfall patterns variability on the rates of mineral dissolution of different sedimentary stones containing variable concentrations of carbonate minerals. Samples were subject to artificial weathering employing an exposure apparatus specifically designed to meet the project requirements. Multiple trials of different duration were conducted to examine the performance of the samples under both stable and variable exposure conditions. The samples’ performance was assessed from the concentration of dissolved Ca, Mg, K, Na, and Fe in the stones leachates that were collected at regular intervals of time. A dissolution profile was obtained for each stone by plotting the dissolution rate of each analyte at each sampling point. Results showed that alterations in the duration of the rainwater cycle corresponded to a variation of the rate of mineral dissolution. The carbonate mineral content of the stone appeared to control the relationship between the dissolution rates of Ca and Mg and the rainfall event duration. These two variables were found to be inversely correlated in samples containing higher concentrations of carbonate minerals. The results provide an insight into the parameters that control the rates of dissolution of sedimentary building stone dissolution by rainfall and support the estimation of the effects of future alterations in the precipitation patterns on the stone rate of degradation.
Advisor / supervisor
  • González-Longo, Cristina
Resource Type
Note
  • This thesis was previously held under moratorium between 14 August 2024 and 14 August 2025.
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