Compatible repairs to stonebuilt structures

There is a well-established research body behind the conservation and stone geology disciplines, yet there remains a gap between conservation research and those commissioning work on the nation's stonework. Heritage structures are being damaged by incompatible materials and methods. The fact of the matter is that the majority of all heritage repair work is as a direct result of inappropriate, damaging interventions using modern, typically dense, brittle and impermeable materials that upset the building's ‘natural’ operational mechanisms. The environmental factors precipitating stone decay are reported to be worsening; to respond to this increase in severity, the building, the repair material and the degradation mechanisms need to be clarified.