Analysis of weathering and internal texture on the engineering properties of granites

The research significance of the present paper concerns the need of knowing the mechanical properties of stone existing in the ancient constructions, when a suitable methodology for their rehabilitation or strengthening is followed. The rehabilitation of ancient constructions, mainly the ones pertaining to the architectural heritage is a demand of modern societies. The deep knowledge of mechanical and fracture properties of the stone is also an important advantage, when structural analysis is needed for the evaluation of the safety conditions of ancient constructions. Thus, this paper aims at providing large information about the influence of factors such as weathering state and planar anisotropy on the engineering properties of Portuguese granites. It was found that both weathering and internal structure play a major role on the mechanical tensile and compressive behavior of granites. Besides, the non-destructive evaluation reveal as possible technique to predict the weathering and anisotropy of granites