Marble Tombstone Weathering

Therefore in west yorkshire the back of the headstone faces the prevailing winds so should be more weathered.

Marble tombstone weathering.

The booming and polluted metropolis of sydney and wollongong where pollution rates haven t changed much. In many graveyards the head stones are aligned with the engraved side facing to the east. Gravestone weathering department of geography. Since marble is vulnerable to wear and tear marble headstones that have cracks and signs of aging should be left as is because cleaning can weaken the marble further and result in more serious damage.

Thaw weathering as temperatures fall faster in the open air than under trees. Physical weathering is the toll put on rocks by processes like frost ice splitting abrasion from things hitting it plant roots decompression at the surface remember most rocks are formed. Weathering rates of marble in urban environments eastern australia. If the marble headstone is in good condition proceed to the next step.

Marble tombstone weathering and air pollution in north america thomas c. First check the condition of the marble headstone that you want to clean. Maps of surface recession rates measured from 8 438 century old vermont marble tombstones at 320 cemeteries. Studying rock types weathering processes and human history in a cemetery.

Marble for example is assumed to decay mainly through dissolution by acidic rainfall natural rainfall is slightly acidic being a weak carbonic acid with a ph of 5 6. This removes matrix and grains from the surface of the gravestone leaving a rough sugary feel.