Evalution of Salt Crystallisation Effects on Artificial Marble

Utilisation of artificial marble in the construction industry is widespreading because of it has got very low porosity show very good performance and homogeneity, color consistendency and mechanical strength. Construction and building materials are exposed to various physical, chemical and environmental interactions and they were subjected to various atmospheric, climatic and seasonal effects. Some of these effects are atmospheric pollution, natural geochemical and physical processes-slow dissolution by rain water, salt deposition and recrystallization, freeze-thawing cycles, spalling, climatic factors, air pollution, industrial pollutant, chemical contaminants, solar radiation, (notably acid rain), bio deterioration  and  thermal effects . These effects can cause deteriorate partially or completely and changes  m arketability of natural building stones . In this study two commercially available and extensively used artificial marble were subjected to salt crystallization ageing test according to TS EN 12370. Test samples subjected to 14% Na 2 SO 4 .10H 2 SO 4 solutions. The changes in physical and color properties L,a,b) and glossiness of samples has been determined and evaluated. Experimental results showed that , salt crystallization has led to changes of weight, porosity, unit weight and color and glossiness. Weight, glossiness decreased as the whiteness (L), redness (a), yellowness (b), porosity increased.