Abstract
The influence of petrographic features on the strength of granitic stones is a wide studied topic which finds different correlations depending on the research and the granite type. The aim of this article was to provide an accurate statistical analysis in which the amount of analysed data did not imply any doubt about the representativity of the samples and the accuracy of the results. The focused principal component analysis was used because it allows to explain a determinate property in relation to several variables. In addition, the expression of the results was done as a simple and graphical representation that allowed to interpret the results in a global way. Data of texture, mineralogy and strength of 12 granites were obtained in this study and were completed by those of more than 100 granites obtained from the literature. The durability of the twelve granite characterized was also assessed. A thermal fatigue test was carried out in 5 × 5 × 5 cm cubes revealing that the thermal expansion experimented by the different minerals was enough to produce variations in the crack network even if temperature was lower than the microfissuration threshold.
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Acknowledgements
This research was funded by the project from Principado de Asturias IB09-080. The authors acknowledge the technical support from Materials’ group from the Polytechnical University of Oviedo and the several enterprises that provided the granitic stones.
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This article is part of a Topical Collection in Environmental Earth Sciences on “Stone in the Architectural Heritage: from quarry to monuments – environment, exploitation, properties and durability”, guest edited by Siegfried Siegesmund, Luís Sousa, and Rubén Alfonso López-Doncel.
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Vazquez, P., Sánchez-Delgado, N., Carrizo, L. et al. Statistical approach of the influence of petrography in mechanical properties and durability of granitic stones. Environ Earth Sci 77, 287 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-018-7475-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-018-7475-6