Stone Decay

Bernard J. Smith, School of Geosciences, The Queen's University, Belfast His research interests centre around weathering in a variety of geomorphological settings. Most work at present is, however, concentrated on investigations into urban stone decay. These include: stress inheritance in stone, concepts of durability, microfracturing in granites, short-term exposure trials of building stones and the difficulties of projecting the long-term behaviour of stone in buildings. This work is supported by two current EPSRC grants on 'the effects of surface alteration of stone on moisture and pollutant uptake' and 'The catastrophic decay of building sandstones'. Alice V. Turkington Alice Turkington is Assistant Professor at the Department of Geography, University of Kentucky. Her PhD. at the Queen's University, Belfast was 'The durability of sandstone in salt-rich environments'.

• Introduction: B.J. Smith and A.V. Turkington; Quantification of the decay rates of cleaned and soiled building sandstones M.E. Young, J. Ball and R.A. Laing; Durability and rock properties R.J. Inkpen, D. Petley and W. Murphy; The use of image analysis for quantitative monitoring of stone alteration V. Lebrun, C. Toussaint and E. Pirard; Mechanisms of attack on limestone by NO2 and SO2 G.C. Allen, A. El-Turki, K.R. Hallam, E.E. Coulson and R.A. Stowell; Weathering of sandstone sculptures on Charles Bridge, Prague: influence of previous restoration R. P ikryl, J. Svobodova and D. Hradil; Experimental weathering of rhyolite tuff building stones and the effect of an organic polymer conserving agent A. Torok, M. Galos and K. Kocsanyi-Kopecsko; Chemical composition of precipitation in Krakow: its role in salt weathering of stone building materials W. Wilczy ska-Michalik; Interpreting the spatial complexity of decay features on a sandstone wall A.V. Turkington and B.J. Smith; Arkose 'brownstone' tombstone weathering in the Northeastern USA T.C. Meierding; Weathering of Portuguese megaliths - evidence for rapid adjustment to new environmental conditions G.A. Pope and V.C. Miranda; Influence of anthropogenic factors on weathering of the Carpathian flysch sandstones W. Wilczy ska-Michalik and M. Michalik; Observations on stepkarren formed on limestone, gypsum and halite terrains D. Mottershead and G. Lucas; The role of mechanical and biotic processes in solution flute development D. Mottershead and G. Lucas; Weathering scales, landscapes and change: some thoughts on links R.J. Inkpen.

The text covers the results of decay on building stones and in the context of buildings following the implementation of cleaning and conservation strategies. This is of obvious importance in developing future strategies. While in no doubt of interest to geomorphologists, geologists and materials scientists, this publication aids the promotion of the important link between researcher and practitioner. Building Conservation Journal It is hoped that this work might provide the reader with a number of views relating to the nature of weathering and decay process, and the factors controlling them; hopefully , enabling the conservator/surveyor to identify and consider appropriate conservation programmes and policies. Building Engineer ... a collection of methodical, carefully written papers, dealing with a variety of subjects within the area of stone decay. Firstly, this volume is a serious contribution to relevant questions concerning the problem of stone decay; and secondly, the material contained within the papers is not easy for the scientific layman to assimilate. SPAB Cornerstone