Abstract
Natural weathering is known as one of the key mechanisms causing degradation in building materials. Great efforts have been made to develop new materials and new processes for protecting those that already exist. Natural stones are an example of a natural material that has been extensively used for building construction since ancient times. In addition, they fit durability, aesthetic, and mechanical requirements. Thus, they still have great importance in the construction business nowadays. Though chemical interactions in natural stones, such as oxidation or hydrolyses, have been widely studied, in the last few decades, the physical weathering due to daily temperature variations has begun to be considered as a key mechanism of degradation and has been incorporated in international standards. This process is particularly important in calcitic marble slabs, where it can cause extensive damages to facades. Consequently, there are restrictive rules for the use of marble as an external coating material in many countries. In this paper, the thermal stresses induced by daily variations in temperature are calculated using geographic and meteorological information. The concept of sol-air temperature is used to estimate the temperatures of the hidden and exposed surfaces of a slab, and Fourier’s law and the theory of elasticity are used to calculate the temperature and stress distribution, respectively. The proposed methodology allows for a detailed reconstruction of the stress induced inside marble slabs using parameters commonly acquired in meteorological stations as input data. The developed methodology was validated by comparing in-situ measurements of the temperature of a building in Pescara (Central Italy). A good correlation between the theoretical and real temperatures was found; in particular, the peak tensile stresses inside the slabs were estimated at 75 kPa.
Highlights
Introduction nal affiliationsDurability against natural weathering has been considered one of the greatest challenges that building materials must face when they are used in external environments.Artificial materials, such as polymers and glasses, have been developed to overcome this problem [1,2,3,4]
The main goal of this paper is to propose a methodology for the evaluation of thermal stresses induced by insolation on natural stones used as an external coating material
We proposed a new methodology by coupling the evaluation of thermal exchanges in building-covering systems to compute the thermal stresses due to daily variations in temperature
Summary
Durability against natural weathering has been considered one of the greatest challenges that building materials must face when they are used in external environments. Artificial materials, such as polymers and glasses, have been developed to overcome this problem [1,2,3,4]. Many studies have been conducted on rock-like materials to develop new processes and technologies for increasing their performance (in terms of durability and mechanical properties), as well as their competitiveness with other construction technologies. The durability of natural stones may be reduced by natural weathering. Detachment, oxidation, and efflorescence are the pathologies most com-
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