Low temperature conditions in building sandstone: the role of extreme events in temperate environments

Abstract

Data on rock temperatures has previously been collected to characterise typical diurnal regimes, and more recently to describe short-term variability in extreme locations. However, there is also the case that little is understood concerning the impact of extreme events in otherwise temperate environments. Internal stone temperatures (5 cm) collected during the atypical cold extreme experienced, throughout the UK, in December 2010 show a difference between ambient air temperatures and aspect-related thermal differences, particularly concerning temperature lows and the influence of radiative heating. In this case, debris release was not visible; however, laboratory simulations have shown that under such conditions, surface loss does not necessarily negate the occurrence of internal stone modifications. This preparatory sequence of change demonstrates that surface loss is not the result of one process, but rather many operating over time to sufficiently decrease stone strength to facilitate obvious damage.

Keywords:

• sandstone
• low temperatures
• aspect
• stress history
• simulation
• pulse velocity

Acknowledgements

The research is funded through EPSRC grant EP/G01051X/1 and an Historic Scotland Research Fellowship (SMcC). The authors thank the staff of the Derrygonnelly Field Studies Centre – John Meneely, Nick Cutler, John McAlister, Maura Pringle and Catherine Adamson.