Mechanical Properties of Weathered Feldspar Sandstone after Experiencing Dry‐Wet Cycles

Salt crystallization significantly accelerates the deterioration of feldspar sandstone, with weathering effects up to 73% more severe than water alone. The study subjected Yungang Grottoes' stone to dry-wet cycles, revealing that salt-weathering (Group B) caused peak strength losses of 72.39%, while water exposure (Group A) resulted in a 48.53% decline. Surface roughness increased by up to 3.34 µm under salt conditions, driven by crystallization stress and chemical reactions with minerals like feldspar and calcite. Water-weathering primarily involved hydrolysis of K-Na feldspar and clay mineral swelling. These findings provide critical data for assessing the stability and guiding conservation efforts at the UNESCO-listed Yungang Grottoes.

An, W.-b., Wang, L., & Chen, H. (2020). Mechanical Properties of Weathered Feldspar Sandstone after Experiencing Dry‐Wet Cycles. Advances in Materials Science and Engineering, 2020(1). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/6268945