Building stones — Application, studies and diagnostics

Closely linked to the document [COR 402] : "Pierres de construction – Natures et mécanismes d'altération" (Building stones Natures and weathering mechanisms), this dossier, after briefly presenting stone and its use in buildings, sets out the interest and usefulness of the study and diagnostic methods used today in order to propose conservation and restoration work adapted to the problems encountered. The use of these scientific results on building sites is then illustrated by a series of examples concerning the ancient built heritage of southern France.

The development of modern stone construction, and the preservation and safeguarding of our built heritage, are major concerns for the industry.

In view of the problems and disorders identified, the aim of this article is to propose general approaches to intervention, based on several types of study. The investigation strategy, ranging from a general examination of structures down to the level of individual materials, is based on the reasoned use of standardized and non-standardized tests, both destructive and non-destructive.

In view of the wide range of studies and their varied objectives, standardized tests are tools that can provide precise information on materials, for example, to diagnose the state of conservation of masonry, investigate the causes of pathological manifestations, or identify the different stone facies present in a building.