Effectiveness of a novel consolidant on granite: Laboratory and in situ results

• A new surfactant-synthesised nanoconsolidant was applied on a romanesque church.
• A previous laboratory evaluation was carried out on the granite from the original quarry.
• Two popular commercial consolidants (acrylic resin and ethyl silicate) were also evaluated.
• The new product effectiveness was demonstrated for laboratory and in situ conditions.
• This work also defines application protocol for consolidation processes on granites.

In this article, the protocol to identify the most suitable consolidant to be applied in a granitic Romanesque church form Galicia is presented. The study consisted in two phases: an initial laboratory evaluation during which the treatment with a nanoconsolidant never applied on granite is compared with the treatment with two commercial consolidants (an acrylic resin and ethyl silicate), evaluating several properties in order to determine the effectiveness and harmful effects on the stone. In this phase, the new nanomaterial was identified as the most suitable product in order to slow down the specific deterioration processes which affect the building. In a second phase, the evaluation of the effectiveness and harmful effects of the application of the nanoconsolidant in the building is presented. This article also provides new data about two procedures to asses effectiveness never applied in granites.

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