| How changes in temperature affect stone facades and buildings ? |
Changes in temperature can expand and contract the impregnated water molecules in the stone creating stresses. This results in widening of cracks in the stone, creating more weaker spots in the stone, flaking and other effects.
Freeze - Thaw or Frost Action
The most drastic effect of temperature changes are freeze-thaw effects seen during winters and specifically when it snows. Upon freezing, the impregnated water expands about 10% + or - 2% creating forces up to 150 tonnes per sq.ft. This creates extreme stresses within the structure of the stone resulting in widening of cracks, fissure cracks, flaking, crumbling and weakening of the stone.
Thermal Expansion
A large variation in day and night temperatures can create stresses on the surface of the stone. The various minerals that make the stone also expand and contract at different rates. Combine that with the rate at which these mineral rise and fall in temperature results extreme stresses on the surface of the stone - different from those within the structure of the stone. This results in surface flaking over a period of time.
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