37º IAHS World Congress on Housing: - Universidad de Cantabria

XXXVII <strong>IAHS</strong><strong>World</strong> <strong>Congress</strong> on HousingOctober 26 – 29, 2010, Santander, SpainCODE: 1039ROCK THIN-SECTIONS STUDIES: A GEOLOGIC TOOLUSEFUL FOR BUILDING AND MONUMENTREHABILITATIONSánchez, M.A. 1 , Iriarte. E. 2 and Gutiérrez-Medina, M. 11 Department of Science and Ground Engineering and Materials1 University of Cantabria, Spain2 Department of Archaeology and Anthropology2 Institución Milà i Fontanals-CSICe-mail: miguelangel.sanchez@unican.esKey words: thin-sections, microscopic studies, rock analysis, building and monument rehabilitationAbstractThe analysis of minerals and rocks under a polarizing petrographic microscope is a commonand an important source of information for any geological work. The identification ofdifferent rock-forming constituents, their spatial relationship and their physical and chemicalalteration degree, can be achieved by the study of thin-sections.For any petrophysical characterization of a rock, soil or concrete sample, we need to studytheir basic components, which are: minerals, voids (pores and micro-fissures) and theirconnectivity, grain interlocking, grain boundaries, anisotropies, grain size, texturalheterogeneities, etc. and for this petrographic study, thin-sections are absolutely required. Onthe other hand, the effect caused by compression tests over the rock micro-structure also canbe studied so thin-section provides a good method for materials strength characterization.Thin-sections could be obtained from sediments, soils and regolith, so they also have a greatinterest to environmental and archaeological studies. Petrographic studies of soils are a goodalternative to study archaeological settings or materials such as soil caves fillings and potteryremains.In the same way, petrographic studies based on thin-sections, are useful for building andmonument rehabilitation and preservation works, because any rock material used on housingcan be studied under a polarizing microscope. Petrographic studies have also a great interestfor characterization of rock materials used for building in order to localize zones to supplyrocks of similar petrographic features suitable for the building or monument rehabilitation.Here we present, as an example of a petrographical study, the results obtained in the workcarried out in the Isla de la Horadada in Santander (Spain). At present, the Applied GeologyGroup is working on the development of a complete laboratory for thin-section fabrication.The laboratory will be able to elaborate thin-sections from any material: rock, soils,sediments, building stones, concrete, etc.37º <strong>IAHS</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Congress</strong> On Housing Science 359