ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an experimental campaign of salt crystallization cycles on seven distinct types of granites, which are characteristic of vernacular construction, and discusses the main results, analysing the major damage associated to the weathering process of the granites. Natural stones are generally used as building materials for construction and ornamentation. The salt weathering is widely recognized as one of the primary agents in the deterioration of historical architecture, structures in archaeological sites, and archaeological objects. The deterioration of stone after salt crystallization cycles is important in case of building stones used in Mediterranean climates, where temperatures and rapid evaporation drive the movement and crystallization of salts. Through the visual inspection of the specimens along the salt crystallization cycles it was possible to identify changes in the superficial aspect of granites after salt crystallization cycles.
