Neutron radiography and X-ray computed tomography for quantifying weathering and water uptake processes inside porous limestone used as building material

Comparison between traditional laboratory tests, permeability measurements and CT-based fluid flow modelling for cultural heritage applications

“…It is currently also unclear if both the capillary absorption coefficient and permeability have the same relation to weathering of the stone, and which of those parameters is actually better to assess the degree of weathering. This response will likely depend on the type of weathering, and whether it will cause a more closed or a more open pore network (Dewanckele et al, 2014).…”

3D mapping of water in oolithic limestone at atmospheric and vacuum saturation using X-ray micro-CT differential imaging

“…Hence, neutrons may interact very weakly with some dense materials, making these dense phases almost transparent to neutron imaging. Water on the other hand will be highly scattering for neutron radiation, making neutron tomography the ideal tool to visualize the distribution inside rocks [14] and at high neutron fluxes, even dynamic imaging of water is possible [4,[14][15][16][17]. The main limitations of neutron imaging however are the spatial resolution limit of the images and the availability of neutron sources.…”

Utilizing X-ray computed tomography for heritage conservation: The case of Megalosaurus bucklandii

“…XCT is also commonly applied to investigating the porosity and weathering of building materials for the purpose of their conservation. These approaches seek to determine the best approaches for preventing the weathering of protected structures and buildings for the purpose of cultural heritage, as demonstrated by (7). XCT proves to be the most effective method to carry out this procedure, due again in part to the non-invasive approach that yields the internal structure of the scanned material with minimal disruption.…”

“…XCT and μCT are beginning to grow in popularity as techniques for inspecting the composition and internal structure of restored or degraded objects. Many approaches have been undertaken in this field, including the restoration of stonework (6,7), evaluating the subsurface construction of artwork (8,9) and even in identifying high-profile, elaborate forgeries (10). The major draws of utilizing this technique for inspecting the condition of an object is the ability to retain the integrity of the original specimen through non-invasive imaging while revealing the morphology and construction of the internal structure (11,12,13).…”