The durability of natural stones: relationship between water absorption coefficient and non-destrutive tests

The aim of this work is to show the relationship between the water absorption coefficient and the increasing of weathering degree. Moreover the authors mean to describe the connessions between the variations of the water absorption coefficient and the changes of others parameters measured with other non-destructive methods like ultrasound pulse velocity. The close relation that occurs between the water absorption coefficient and the weathering degree is useful to give a better interpretation of data coming from non-destructive tests. These topics are also object of the research developed in the European Project McDUR (“Effects of the Weathering on Stone Materials: Assessment of their Mechanical Durability” - Contract no. G6RD-CT-2000-00266).