Marble and natural
stones laboratory has the purpose to enhance ornamental and construction stones, since Italy is in a
leading worldwide position in their
mining and
processing. In this laboratory, both historical and contemporary natural stone samples, coming from Piedmont,
Italy and all over the world, are collected.
![](Immagini/marmi_esposti.jpg)
The
laboratory
performs tests according to Italian technical standards (UNI, CNR), but
also to European (EN) and North American ones (ASTM), including:
- determination
of physical, mechanical and petrographic properties (flexural
strenght, compression, water absorption);
- determination
of technological characteristics (impact, wear and slip resistance, surface
coating degree of
processed elements);
- durability
assessment: predisposition to buckling, frost resistance, aggressive
atmospheres and acid rain, chemicals, thermal
shocking, crystallization of soluble salts, UV;
- covering
stones quality
control according to the technical rules of the Autonomous Region of
Valle d'Aosta;
- determination
of physical and mechanical properties through non-destructive tests or
micro-destructive one (UPV, Schmidt hammer).
Some
equipment
examples used for natural stones technical qualification: Capon
abrasimeter
and vacuum pump for the determination of bulk density/open
porosity.
In addition,
numerous researches and consulting contracts include:
- technological
characterization of new stone
materials: it is essential
in order to define both the most suitable methods of extraction and the
possible building uses;
- natural stones
durability: identification and definition of tests applied to
predictict the resistance to weathering;
- experimentation
of new methods for testing and checking the validity of parameters and reference
values (pre-normative
research);
- use
of non-destructive methods to evaluate the conservation status of
operating materials, consolidation works and the provision of cleaning and
protection projects;
- recognition and
characterization of natural stones in monuments and
identification of the quarries origin for restoration
methods verification.
![](Immagini/knoop.jpg)
Some
equipment used for stone materials
characterization:
pendulum tester for slipping resistance and Knoop
microhardness.
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