The importance of the petrophysical properties and external factors in the stone decay on monuments

In this paper it is proposed to quantify the importance of some physical parameters responsible for stone decay on monuments. The most common decay process is the crystallisation of salt near the surface of the rocks or inside their porous network. Therefore, the water balance in rocks submitted to these special saturation and position conditions has been studied specifically, using the general concepts of water transfer in unsaturated porous media, and using the capillary imbibition kinetics of different rocks. Different parameters have been taken into account for the calculation of the salt crystallisation position: on one hand, several external parameters such as relative humidity, air convection and the presence of solute in solution, and on the other hand, the intrinsic water transfer properties of the rocks. Their relative importance is discussed, considering the potential values that each parameter can reach in nature.