Multi-cycle statistical analysis of laboratory salt weathering tests

Soluble salts are an important pollutant and the main decay agent of stone in the built environment. While their end erosive effects are well-established, the evolution in time of those erosive effects has been much less studied. This paper presents multivariate analyses of results from salt weathering cycles of three limestone types.The experimental data considered in this publication discussed were obtained in the context of the Project PORENET (POCTI/CTA/44940/2002) funded by the FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Portugal). The software and informatic equipment used in the preparation of this publication were also supported from funding of the FCT to the Centro de Investigação Geológica, Ordenamento e Valorização de Recursos of the School of Sciences of the University of Minho.The Lab2PT, Landscape, Heritage, and Territory Laboratory(UID/ECI/04028/2013) of the University of Minho and the CERENA—Centro de Recursos Naturais e Ambiente (UID/ECI/04028/2013) of the Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon are supported by the FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Portugal), with Portuguese funds and funds from the European Union (FEDER, Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade—COMPETE 2020—Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização, POCI, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007528). Acknowledgments also to Eng. Teresa Luís, Eng. Sónia Pereira, and Enterprise Mármores Galrão for the rock blocks.