Eflorescencias y costras sobre areniscas de Villamayor. Ensayos de laboratorio

Abstract

Accelerated tests carried out in the laboratory allow us to study the crystalline material settled over the surface of the sandstones when in contact with watery solutions of different compositions. Sandstone specimens of three different textures were placed on trays containing watery solutions, putting one surface in contact with the liquid. In order to accelarate the capillary absorption, a flow of air was established over the opposite surfaces. The humidity and dryness cycles were repeated 45 times. The crystallized salts were identified by X-ray diffraction, SEM and chemical microanalysis by X-rays dispersive energy. The following results were obtained: gypsum, hexahydrite, picromerite, natrone, arcanite in saline solutions; trone, aftitalite, and presence of gypsy m in cement solutions; gypsum and syngenite in the guano solution test. These salts are analogous to those found in the superficially damaged stones of the Cathedral of Salamanca.