Monitoring and assessing the effect of high temperatures on physical and strength properties of selected Building stones with non-destructive tests and mineralogical analysis
摘要
This study investigates the variations in physical and mechanical properties of seven selected natural building stones exposed to progressively increasing temperatures, reaching up to 800 °C. The effects of thermal damage were primarily assessed using non-destructive testing methods, which revealed significant reductions in uniaxial compressive strength. Anisotropy, expressed by the CA coefficient derived from P-wave velocity measurements in three perpendicular directions, was found to increase with rising temperatures. A notable rise in CA values was observed particularly above 600 °C, coinciding with sharp declines in P-wave velocity. The changes in properties were largely attributed to an increase in crack density, which in turn led to greater open porosity. Notable deteriorations included up to 25% loss in Leeb hardness, a 60% reduction in P-wave velocity, and a 40% decline in strength, accompanied by increases in open porosity of up to 6%. Critical temperature thresholds, at which significant alterations occurred, were identified through mineralogical, petrographic assessments and scanning electron microscopy analyses. Additionally, macroscopic changes in the samples following thermal treatment were also revealed.