| Abstract | In this chapter the degradation mechanisms of stone cultural heritage materials used for construction of monuments, sculptures, building materials, or working tools and artifacts are described. It starts by presenting the weathering causes due to the stone intrinsic factors, i.e., those parts inherent to the material, such as chemical composition and mineralogy or the hydric and mechanical properties, which in turn depend on the structure, density, strength, and porosity. The external factors, i.e., those related with the environmental conditions where the materials are placed, are under the influence of different microclimates and atmospheric or anthropic agents. The relationship between both conditions for weathering is also analyzed since the intrinsic properties of each specific type of stone lead to different behaviors in the surrounding environment where the weathering agents entail different types of degradations and hence specific conservation needs. Then the most frequently used stone characterization analyses and standard tests for chemical and mineralogic composition and physical properties determination are described. Finally, different types of durability tests carried out through accelerated aging cycles to analyze the aging of the stone materials and the physical-chemical changes produced by the application of conservation/restoration treatments are presented to assess their compatibility and durability. |
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