Characterization and assessment of stone deterioration on Heritage Buildings

Abstract

The spread of Deccan volcanic provenance (DVP) is over more than 2.5 million km3 in the Indian subcontinent and basalt is the predominantly stone available here. The basalt used in the Panhala fort is categorized under the main group as DVP and sub-group as Wai under panhala formation. Since the construction of the buildings has started in Maharashtra, basalt is the only stone mainly used as a building material. Though the basalt is an igneous type of rock and is very durable, over time signs of weathering damages have been found on historical monuments. Some laboratory tests and in situ investigations were carried out to study the weathering pattern and behavior of basalt. The results of these studies reveal variations in macroscopic and microscopic properties. For detailed documentation of weathering forms, the monument mapping method is applied. Weathering pattern, forms, and profiles found after detail studies indicates deterioration of basalt due to air pollution and climatic changes.

Keywords

• Basalt
• Deterioration
• Weathering
• Petrology
• Heritage