Stone in Historic Buildings: Characterization and Performance

There is considerable academic and practical interest in stone and stone buildings, as exemplified by the wide range of high-quality and innovative work being conducted in the pursuit of the effective preservation and restoration of historic buildings. This is reflected in the numerous publications on stone and stone buildings that regularly find their way into the public domain. Not least amongst these are a number of Geological Society Special Publications, which have appeared in recent years. This current volume seeks to bring to the attention of the various professionals in the field (geologists, architects, engineers, conservators and conservation scientists) recent work centred on the characterization and performance of this important resource and its use in historic buildings. The volume has wider relevance, including to those interested in the heritage of stone.
The stone materials of the historical architecture of Tuscany, Italy
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Published:January 01, 2014
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CiteCitation
F. Fratini, S. Rescic, 2014. "The stone materials of the historical architecture of Tuscany, Italy", Stone in Historic Buildings: Characterization and Performance, J. Cassar, M. G. Winter, B. R. Marker, N. R. G. Walton, D. C. Entwisle, E. N. Bromhead, J. W. N. Smith
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Abstract
The paper presents an overview of the principal stone materials used in the historical architecture of Tuscany, a region of central Italy characterized by a great variety of landscapes. The large number of these materials reflects the complex geology of the region, where each village and town has a unique identity conferred by the architecture and typical colours of the construction materials. The urban areas that have developed in the foothills of the Apennines are, characterized by the use of sandstone, while the towns and villages of central-southern Tuscany are generally more heterogeneous, with an abundant use of bricks and travertine. The information presented is focused on the use of the stone materials during the different epochs, their geopetrographical characteristics and their most common durability problems.