ABSTRACT
BRE has been involved in testing the durability of building stone for a number of years. A series of BRE reports have been published concerning the availability and durability of different stone types used for building (Honeyborne (1982), Leary (1983, 1986), Hart (1988)). These reports are intended primarily to enable architects and other stone specifiers to select the stone which is most suitable for the end use in mind. This suitability will depend on a number of factors including the durability of the stone, the degree of exposure in the building, the pollution levels in the environment, and the likelihood of frost. The reports also contain colour photographs of the stones, enabling the architect to select a stone which meets both his/her technical and aesthetic requirements. Known behaviour of different stone types in actual buildings is also taken into account.
