Experimental research on salt contamination procedures and methods for assessment of the salt distribution

The RILEM TC ASC-271 is developing a new laboratory test to assess the durability of porous building materials salt crystallisation. encompasses two phases: accumulation and damage propagation. This paper focuses on designing procedure for phase; this considered successful when salts crystallise at material's evaporative surface (common situation observed site) without occurrence damage. Two procedures were developed tested limestones with different porosity: (1) capillary absorption solution followed by drying, (2) continuous absorption. Sodium chloride or sodium sulphate solutions used. Several methods assessing distribution employed: ultrasonic pulse velocity, drilling/scratching resistance, hygroscopic moisture content, ion chromatography, scanning electron microscopy, micro X-ray fluorescence. results enabled selection most effective protocol phase.