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Mineralogical and colour changes of quartz sandstones by heat

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

Seven German and three Hungarian monumental sandstones have been tested in laboratory conditions to analyse the effect of heat. The studied quartz sandstones have a wide-range of cements and grain-sizes including silica-, carbonate-, clay- and ferrous mineral—cemented varieties of fine-, medium- to coarse-grained types. Cylindrical specimens were heated up to 150, 300, 450, 600, 750 and 900°C in an oven. The mineralogical and textural changes were recorded and compared by using microscopy, XRD, DTA-DTG and SEM. Colours and colour differences (a*, b*, L* values) were also measured and evaluated. Colour changes are related to mineral transformations. The most intense colour change is caused by the oxidation of iron-bearing minerals to hematite that takes place up to 900°C. When temperature increases the green glauconite becomes brownish while the chlorite changes to yellowish at first. The colour of burnt sandstone is not a direct indicator of burning temperature, since there are sandstones in which the burnt specimens are lighter and less reddish than the natural ones. Porosity increase is related to micro-cracking at grain boundaries (above 600°C) and within the grains (at and above 750°C) and mineral transformations. The clay mineral structure collapses at different temperatures (kaolinite up to 600°C, chlorite above 600°C) and leads to a slight increase in porosity. The most drastic change is observed in calcite cemented sandstones where the carbonate structure collapses at 750°C and CaO appears at 900°C. Subsequently it is transformed to portlandite due to absorption of water vapour from the air. This leads to the disintegration of sandstone at room temperature a few days after the heat shock.

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Acknowledgements

The financial support of OTKA Postdoctoral Fellowship project no. D 45932 (MH) and Széchenyi Fund (ÁT) are appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Building Physics, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Bertalan Lajos u. 2., H-1111 , Budapest, Hungary

    M. Hajpál

  2. Department of Construction Materials and Engineering Geology, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Sztoczek u. 2, H-1111 , Budapest, Hungary

    Á. Török

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  1. M. Hajpál
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  2. Á. Török
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Correspondence to Á. Török.

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Special issue: Stone decay hazards

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Hajpál, M., Török, Á. Mineralogical and colour changes of quartz sandstones by heat. Env Geol 46, 311–322 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-004-1034-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-004-1034-z

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