Groundwater damages on the historic buildings of Cairo: the case of the medieval walls of Mokattam limestone.

A significant relationship between environmental thermo-hygrometric fluctuations and groundwater capillary rise has been identified as a primary factor in the deterioration of medieval limestone walls in Historic Cairo. This study, conducted by an Italian-Egyptian research group, reveals that such conditions accelerate evaporation rates, imbibition levels, and salt crystallization on and within the rock surface, leading to widespread weathering phenomena like decohesion and dissolution. The research also highlights the role of atmospheric pollutants, such as particulate matter and sulfates, in exacerbating carbonate sulfation. By analyzing field data alongside underground water and environmental factors, the study provides insights into the decay mechanisms affecting limestone blocks, offering directions for future conservation strategies.

Coppola, M., Di Benedetto, F., Garzonio, C., Pecchioni, E., & Santo, A. (2020). Groundwater damages on the historic buildings of Cairo: the case of the medieval walls of Mokattam limestone. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 949(1), 12004. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899x/949/1/012004