Work

Mechanisms and effects of the water seepage environment on the deterioration of stone cultural relics

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Water seepage can accelerate the deterioration of stone, but previous experimental studies often only focused on a single solution, ignoring the complexity of the natural water environment. In this study, sandstone samples from two strata of Leshan Giant Buddha were collected. Then the wet-dry cycle experiment was carried out using the prepared water seepage solution with a concentration equivalent to the on-site solution. The severity of sandstone deterioration followed the order of Na 2 SO 4 > CaSO 4 > water seepage solution > H 2 O. The water seepage solution caused less deterioration than did the salt solutions (Na 2 SO 4 and CaSO 4 ) at the same concentration. Sandstones with strong cementation deteriorated slower, which was attributed to the variations in the mineral cementation balance index (MCBI). Furthermore, the uniaxial compressive strength of sandstones was predicted based on nondestructive indices combined with random forest (R 2 ≥ 0.97), providing a nondestructive assessment method for the preservation of stone heritage.

Source: npj Heritage Science

DOI: 10.1038/s40494-025-02180-1

Authors: Ningbo Peng, Wentao Shi, Linchong Jiang, Xingyue Li, Jie Hong, Bo Sun

Institutions: Huai'an University, Lanzhou University, Chongqing University, Shanghai University

Language: English

Topic: Building materials and conservation

Subfield: Earth-Surface Processes

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China, State Administration of Cultural Heritage

Award: 古代石砌结构中砌块劣化与结构变形的相互作用机制研究