Per: Gabriela Nunes Sales Barreto (uenf), MARCELO BARCELLOS REIS (uenf), elaine aparecida santos carvalho (uenf), HENRY ALONSO COLORADO LOPERA (uDEA), carlos mauricio fontes vieira (uenf)
Abstract:
Natural stones have traditionally been used in construction, but the current market has focused on the commercialization of artificial stones, which, due to their lower porosity, exhibit higher mechanical resistance and durability. The aim of this study was to compare the durability and mechanical performance of two stones currently available on the market: Granito Itaúnas, a natural stone, and Branco Aldan, an artificial stone. The results revealed significant differences between the materials. Branco Aldan had a density of 2.37 g/cm³, water absorption of 0.06%, porosity of 0.13%, and flexural strength of 51.08MPa. Granito Itaúnas, on the other hand, showed a density of 2.64 g/cm³, water absorption of 0.31%, porosity of 0.82%, and flexural strength of 10.19MPa. Both stones meet the minimum requirements for use as cladding in civil construction, with flexural strength above 10MPa, but after degradation cycles, Granito Itaúnas failed to meet the standards, while Branco Aldan maintained significantly superior mechanical performance. In salt crystallization, Branco Aldan outperformed Granito Itaúnas in terms of durability. It is concluded that the artificial stone surpassed the natural stone in both mechanical performance and durability. This phenomenon occurred due to the higher porosity of the natural stone, the main factor responsible for the deterioration and decrease in durability of stones.