Superficial alteration and soluble salts in the calcarenite weathering. case study of almohade monuments in Rabat: Morocco

摘要

This work analyzes the stone superficial deterioration of some monuments in Rabat city. The rock is a calcarenite with porous texture, rich in calcium carbonates and fossils. The techniques used to study the surfaces altered by blackening or black crusts, are the SEM equipped with EDX microprobe, the X-ray diffraction, and the analysis of the soluble salts by ionic chroma-tography for anions and flame spectrometer for cations. They reveal significant contents of calcium sulphates, mainly gypsum, often associated with sodium chlorides. These salts known to have a destructive effect on the calcareous stones seem to be originated from the contamination by atmospheric pollutants, particularly sulfur dioxide, and by the marine sprays.