Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Number of Stone Consolidants: A Case Study From the Antiquity City of Petra/ Jordan

This study centres on designing and applying a laboratory testing program for the evaluation of the efficacy of a number of stone Consolidants. The suitability of the stone strengtheners in consolidating and preserving the deteriorated sandstone of Petra monuments was tested in the laboratory against predetermined performance criteria. The results obtained in this study demonstrate that excessive testing should precede any application of such materials to remains of significance archaeological value like the Petra monuments. The results also show that there is no single material that may fulfil all the requirements and in most cases a combination of more than one material should be used to deal with different situations at the monuments that result from variation in the stone properties and the extent of weathering that they suffer (Author) 16 refs., 5 fig., 4 tab