The Alteration of Giglio Island Granite: Relevance to the Conservation of Monumental Architecture

Abstract

The research examines the alteration phenomena of Giglio island granite, a rock quarried by Romans from the 3rd century, used for columns in the Italian peninsula and later reemployed in many Christian religious buildings. The study has shown that already in the bedrock there are small percentages of clay minerals. Starting from this condition, the alteration develops by an increase in porosity, which in turn favours the establishment of a slight hydrolysis of the silicates with a decrease in Na, Ca, and K, in accordance with the sericitisation process. The alteration proceeds with a further increase in porosity, apparently not related to a real loss of cohesion, which, however, occurs shortly after, highlighting the necessity of a continuous monitoring of the state of conservation of the material in the architectural heritage.