Petrophysics of Building Materials

Petrophysics of Building Materials

Teaching staff: Dr. Bläuer Christine, Dr. Rousset Bénédicte
Course in archeometry: 26-27 April 2007.
Audience: Advanced students and other interested public
Langage: English/French

Petrophysics of building materials – Abstract
Petrophysical properties of porous building materials govern their possibilities to exchange liquid water and water vapour with their environment. Therefore, besides decisive exposure conditions, petrophysical properties play a key role for the durability of the building materials and for the weathering pattern these materials develop.

The properties controlling water and vapour transport within porous building materials, do in the same way control absorption and de-sorption of fluids within such pore systems. Hence they are key factors in influencing the effectiveness of treatment products applied to building materials and of treatment methods used on them.

During this course we suggest, after some theoretical revisions, to become aware of the implications and applications of petrophysics in the field of the conservation of porous building materials by means of indoor practical work combined with in situ observation of specific cases within the city of Fribourg.