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Copyright of Trans/Form/Ação is the property of Trans/Form/Acao and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Industria Textila is the property of Institutul National de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Textile si Pielarie and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Yungang Grottoes, excavated during the 5th to 6th centuries AD, stand as a pinnacle of Buddhist sculpture, representing a precious world cultural heritage. Since their excavation, the grottoes have undergone multiple phases of painting, with a significant amount of pigment still present on the surfaces of the stone carvings. Since the 1990s, two large-scale archaeological excavations have been conducted on both the front ground and the summit of Yungang Grottoes. During these excavations, various artifacts with accompanying pigments were unearthed, encompassing stone carvings, grinding tools, architectural components, fragments of murals, and remnants of clay sculptures, spanning the historical periods of the Northern Wei, Liao-Jin, and Ming-Qing dynasties. Using portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, portable microscopy, polarizing microscopy, scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and confocal Raman microscopy, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of these painted elements. The investigation revealed the presence of hematite, vermilion, goethite, malachite, calcium carbonate, lead white, and ivory black pigments in the Northern Wei samples. The Liao-Jin samples exhibited hematite, while the Ming-Qing samples contained vermilion, minium, atacamite, lead white, and Prussian blue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yungang Grottoes, one of China's most notable cultural heritage sites, are located in sandstone strata. The main causes of deterioration observed in the field are associated with moisture action, which greatly affects the long-term performance of the material. In particular, for immovable cultural heritage that is exposed to natural climatic fluctuations throughout the year, interaction with water vapor cannot be avoided. To obtain an insight into the water vapor transmission properties of local sandstone, a series of laboratory tests were conducted using the wet-cup method. The correlation of water vapor transmission with environmental relative humidity and pore structure was examined. The results indicate that as the relative humidity increased, the diffusion coefficient increased considerably due to the contribution of capillary condensate flow. In addition, a positive relationship was found between the diffusion coefficient and open porosity. The water vapor diffusion in sandstone occurred in transitory mode and the diffusion coefficient was estimated from the average pore radius. The calculated values were two orders of magnitude larger than those measured in the tests, reflecting the complex microstructural features concerning diffusion paths and area. The weathering processes constantly alter the sandstone's diffusion parameters, causing various damages in the Yungang Grottoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Condensation water can accelerate weathering of stone relics. Previous methods for detecting condensation water in grottoes have some shortcomings, such as the complex equipment layout and limited monitoring range, and are unable to reflect the real-time condensation state, which restrict the effective prevention and control of condensation water in grottoes. In this paper, the infrared thermal imaging technology, which can be used to obtain continuous and large-scale observation of temperature on the wall of grottoes, and the microwave moisture measurement technology, which can be used to obtain rock moisture inside the wall, are both used to study the formation mechanism of condensation water. During the occurrence of a rainfall event, a wall in cave 19 of the Yungang Grottoes was monitored by the infrared thermal imaging for 100 hours. This set of data reveals the diurnal variation pattern of temperature before and during the rainfall event, and two periods beneficial for the formation of condensation water were identified by comparing with the air dew point temperature. The two periods are the condensation period before cooling which starts from 16 hours before rainfall to a sudden drop of temperature during rainfall and the condensation period after cooling which starts from the sudden drop of temperature to 12 hours after the end of rainfall. At the same time, the dynamic monitoring of the shallow rock moisture content for 56 hours was carried out with a microwave moisture meter. Although condensation water cannot be directly observed on the wall, the microwave moisture meter shows that water content in the rock increases, indicating that water has been preferentially condensed inside the rock. It is also found that the sudden drop of air temperature (from 18.5 °C to 15.6 °C in 1 hour) during the process of rainfall causes the condensation of water vapor in atmosphere, which causes a significant decline in the dew point temperature, and the condition of condensation water formation is not fulfilled. This phenomenon is of important guiding significance for the prevention and control of condensation water.

The Yungang Grottoes, with over 1500 years of history, have been subjected to air pollution since the last century. Field investigations have indicated that acid gases, particularly sulfur dioxide (SO2), have accumulated on the surface of the sculptures and caused various types of decay that reduce their artistic value. To shed new light on the gas–stone interaction process, artificially accelerated weathering was performed on local sandstone in the laboratory. In a specially developed test device, fresh specimens were exposed to gaseous SO2 under different relative humidity and temperature conditions. The physical, mineralogical, and chemical changes of Yungang sandstone were evaluated conjointly using destructive and non-destructive methods. The results show that after weathering, the luminosity of all specimens changed, with a slight alteration in hue toward yellow. The weight increased to various degrees during the aging cycles, which depended on both the accumulation of matter and the detachment of particles. Higher relative humidity and cyclic temperature fluctuations favored the dissolution of carbonates and the hydrolysis of feldspar in sandstone. The concentration of ions, especially dissolved Ca2+ and SO42−, increased considerably over time in the near-surface region of the specimens. A trace of newly formed gypsum was detected in some specimens at the end of the test. Knowing the synergistic impact of different climatic variables will make it possible to identify the mechanisms of the deterioration of sandstone in complex environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Due to the location of the Yungang Grottoes, freeze–thaw cycles contribute significantly to the degradation of the mechanical properties of the sandstone. The factors influencing the freeze–thaw cycle are classified into two categories: external environmental conditions and the inherent properties of the rock itself. Since the parameters of rock properties are inherent to each rock, the effect of rock properties on freeze–thaw degradation cannot be investigated by the control variates method. An adaptive multi-output gradient boosting decision trees (AMGBDT) algorithm is proposed to fit nonlinear relationships between mechanical properties and physical factors. The hyperparameters in the GBDT algorithm are set as variables, and the Sequential quadratic programming (SQP) algorithm is applied to solve the hyperparameter optimization, which means finding the maximum Score. The case study illustrates that the AMGBDT algorithm can precisely determine the effect of each independent factor on the output. The patterns of mechanical properties are similar when the number of freeze–thaw cycles and porosity are used as variables separately and when both are used simultaneously. The uniaxial compressive strength decay rate is positively correlated with the number of freeze–thaw cycles and porosity. The modulus of elasticity is negatively correlated with the number of freeze–thaw cycles and porosity. The results show that the number of freeze–thaw cycles is the main factor influencing the freeze–thaw cycling action, and the porosity is minor. In addition, the fitting accuracy of the AMGBDT algorithm is generally higher than neural networks (NN) and random forests (RF). Studying the influence of porosity and other rock properties on the freeze–thaw cycle will help to understand the failure mechanism of rock freeze–thaw cycles.

The quantitative relationship among the weathering, microscale structure, and microscale flow properties is a fundamental issue for the efficient preservation of the cultural relics in the grottoes. Sandstone weathering may affect the efficient preservation of the cultural relics in the grotto rocks. In this study, the microscopic images of the sandstones of various grottoes in the Yungang Grottoes are obtained by Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM), and the digital characteristic parameters of the particles and pores in the rock are obtained by using the image enhancement and image segmentations. A flow model reflecting the characteristics of the pore-throat connection is also established in the microscopic scale. The local hydraulic conductivity coefficients of the rocks at various grottoes are then obtained. The relationship among the hydraulic conductivity coefficients, digital characteristic parameters, and weathering levels is further explored. The results show that the weathering much affects the microstructure of the grotto sandstones; the corresponding great-small order of the weathering for the average long axeses of pores are the complete or high weathering, the moderate weathering, and the slight weathering or fresh sandstones, respectively, with the axeses of greater than 40 μm, 25 to 35 μm, and 15 to 25 μm. The higher levels of weathering will result in the greater hydraulic conductivities ranging from 1×10−9 to 1×10−4 cm/s; the hydraulic conductivity is closely related to the size and connectivity of the pore-throats; and the increases in the pore-throat radius ratios will result in the increase in the hydraulic conductivities.

Copyright of Hydrogeology & Engineering Geology / Shuiwendizhi Gongchengdizhi is the property of Hydrogeology & Engineering Geology Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Water plays a vital role in the weathering process of grottoes. Precipitation is a main water source in the grotto hosting mountain rock. In this study, time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography was adopted to track the movement of infiltrated water in a profile in the Yungang Grottoes. Our one-year monitoring data indicated a good resistivity response to rainfall in the shallow unconsolidated soil layers. There were only resistivity decreases in the near surface 5 m across the whole monitoring profile, and resistivity values quickly returned to a neutral state after the rain stopped. Based on the analysis of a typical rainfall event during the rainy season, we found that the infiltrated water cannot continuously move downwards to recharge local groundwater. It moves horizontally to a nearby gully due to the existence of a hydraulic conductive fine sand layer and low permeable mudstone and sandstone base rocks. An artificial infiltration experiment was carried out to further verify the fate of infiltrated water. Based on mass balance analysis, with 10 m3 of infiltrated water, it only saturated dry soil in the top 1.36 m soil layer on average and this was roughly consistent with our field borehole wetting front verifications at 1.2 and 1.3 m. There were limited horizontal expansions from the infiltrated water. Therefore, based on our monitoring data and analysis, infiltrated water was not the main source of the water involved in the weathering process of the Yungang Grottoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The hollowing deterioration of stone relics required effective non-destructive testing (NDT) methods for their timely restoration and maintenance. To this end, a new NDT method based on terahertz (THz) technology by using support vector machine (SVM)-based machine learning models was developed to assess and diagnose the hollowing deterioration of the Yungang Grottoes. According to experiment design, a series of hollowing deterioration samples with various thicknesses of hollowing deterioration were prepared and then measured by using THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). Based on the THz-TDS results of 30 randomly selected samples, a SVM-based hollowing deterioration prediction model (SVM-HDPM) was established by analyzing the relationship between the hollowing samples and the THz spectral information. The reliability and accuracy of the model was further proved by verified and compared with using the THz spectral data of the remaining 10 samples. The experimental results with the linear kernel function greatly demonstrated that the SVM-HDPM can have superior prediction accuracy, implying that the model is feasible for the prediction the hollowing deterioration of the stone relics. Moreover, one data preprocess was introduced into SVM-HDPM to meet the needs of field-based test. The predicted results of five different hollowing deterioration with different flaked stone thickness revealed good performance with very low mean square error (MSE) value. Therefore, it is believed that the proposed method can be regarded as an effective NDT technique with practical applications in analyzing cultural relics and have promising future prospects in inspection stone relics-like ancient heritage for hidden flaws.

Copyright of Hydrogeology & Engineering Geology / Shuiwendizhi Gongchengdizhi is the property of Hydrogeology & Engineering Geology Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Due to the location of the Yungang Grottoes, freeze–thaw cycles contribute significantly to the degradation of the mechanical properties of the sandstone. The factors influencing the freeze–thaw cycle are classified into two categories: external environmental conditions and the inherent properties of the rock itself. Since the parameters of rock properties are inherent to each rock, the effect of rock properties on freeze–thaw degradation cannot be investigated by the control variates method. An adaptive multi-output gradient boosting decision trees (AMGBDT) algorithm is proposed to fit nonlinear relationships between mechanical properties and physical factors. The hyperparameters in the GBDT algorithm are set as variables, and the Sequential quadratic programming (SQP) algorithm is applied to solve the hyperparameter optimization, which means finding the maximum Score. The case study illustrates that the AMGBDT algorithm can precisely determine the effect of each independent factor on the output. The patterns of mechanical properties are similar when the number of freeze–thaw cycles and porosity are used as variables separately and when both are used simultaneously. The uniaxial compressive strength decay rate is positively correlated with the number of freeze–thaw cycles and porosity. The modulus of elasticity is negatively correlated with the number of freeze–thaw cycles and porosity. The results show that the number of freeze–thaw cycles is the main factor influencing the freeze–thaw cycling action, and the porosity is minor. In addition, the fitting accuracy of the AMGBDT algorithm is generally higher than neural networks (NN) and random forests (RF). Studying the influence of porosity and other rock properties on the freeze–thaw cycle will help to understand the failure mechanism of rock freeze–thaw cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Wool Textile Journal is the property of National Wool Textile Science & Technology Information Center and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In view of the differential geological damage of Yungang Grottoes, this paper studies the differences of formation lithology, groundwater and external environment. First, combining the rock and mineral identification with the calculation formula of geological damage, this paper discusses the geological damage of stone carving caused by the difference of formation lithology from the perspective of rock structure, mineral composition and cementation mode, and compares the components of fresh samples and weathered samples to obtain the product of geological damage of stone carving. Secondly, the long-term part of the grottoes affected by groundwater is easy to be weathered, and the different distribution of groundwater aggravates the geological damage of Yungang Grottoes; finally, the mining and shutdown of coal mines around the grottoes accelerate the geological damage of the stone carvings. In coal mining, a series of chemical reactions make gypsum and anhydrite transform each other, reduce the mechanical properties of stone carving, and make stone carving crisp. Through the study of the geological damage of the stone relics in Yungang Grottoes, this paper provides a scientific and effective technical reference for the in-depth study of the damage mechanism of the grottoes and the protection of the stone relics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water plays a vital role in the weathering process of grottoes. Precipitation is a main water source in the grotto hosting mountain rock. In this study, time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography was adopted to track the movement of infiltrated water in a profile in the Yungang Grottoes. Our one-year monitoring data indicated a good resistivity response to rainfall in the shallow unconsolidated soil layers. There were only resistivity decreases in the near surface 5 m across the whole monitoring profile, and resistivity values quickly returned to a neutral state after the rain stopped. Based on the analysis of a typical rainfall event during the rainy season, we found that the infiltrated water cannot continuously move downwards to recharge local groundwater. It moves horizontally to a nearby gully due to the existence of a hydraulic conductive fine sand layer and low permeable mudstone and sandstone base rocks. An artificial infiltration experiment was carried out to further verify the fate of infiltrated water. Based on mass balance analysis, with 10 m3 of infiltrated water, it only saturated dry soil in the top 1.36 m soil layer on average and this was roughly consistent with our field borehole wetting front verifications at 1.2 and 1.3 m. There were limited horizontal expansions from the infiltrated water. Therefore, based on our monitoring data and analysis, infiltrated water was not the main source of the water involved in the weathering process of the Yungang Grottoes.

The hollowing deterioration of stone relics required effective non-destructive testing (NDT) methods for their timely restoration and maintenance. To this end, a new NDT method based on terahertz (THz) technology by using support vector machine (SVM)-based machine learning models was developed to assess and diagnose the hollowing deterioration of the Yungang Grottoes. According to experiment design, a series of hollowing deterioration samples with various thicknesses of hollowing deterioration were prepared and then measured by using THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). Based on the THz-TDS results of 30 randomly selected samples, a SVM-based hollowing deterioration prediction model (SVM-HDPM) was established by analyzing the relationship between the hollowing samples and the THz spectral information. The reliability and accuracy of the model was further proved by verified and compared with using the THz spectral data of the remaining 10 samples. The experimental results with the linear kernel function greatly demonstrated that the SVM-HDPM can have superior prediction accuracy, implying that the model is feasible for the prediction the hollowing deterioration of the stone relics. Moreover, one data preprocess was introduced into SVM-HDPM to meet the needs of field-based test. The predicted results of five different hollowing deterioration with different flaked stone thickness revealed good performance with very low mean square error (MSE) value. Therefore, it is believed that the proposed method can be regarded as an effective NDT technique with practical applications in analyzing cultural relics and have promising future prospects in inspection stone relics-like ancient heritage for hidden flaws. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract To understand the effects of an acidic environment on the internal structure of sandstone from the Yungang Grottoes, Datong, China, the physicochemical properties of fresh and weathered sandstone samples and their compressional wave (P-wave) velocities in response to different concentrations of H2SO4 and HNO3 solution were investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and a scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM–EDX) were used to determine grain morphology and chemical composition. The results show that the sandstone, which mainly consists of silicon dioxide and calcium carbonate, became more complicated in composition after weathering. A nonmetallic ultrasonic detector was used to measure the P-wave velocities of sandstones in a natural state and soaked with ultrapure water and with H2SO4 and HNO3 at concentrations of 0.2 mol L−1, 0.4 mol L−1, and 0.8 mol L−1, respectively. For the acid-treated groups, with increasing acidity, P-wave velocity decreased significantly, compressive strength decreased and effective porosity increased; these behaviours are different from those of the water-treat group, implying that the acid solutions damaged the microstructure of the sandstone. The results suggest that the deterioration risk of H2SO4 and HNO3, or sulfates and nitrates converted from ambient SO2, NO x and PM2.5, on the stone relics in the Yungang Grottoes should be a cause for concern.

This paper examines the Yungang Grottoes (Datong, Shanxi province, China), particularly the earliest Five Caves of Tan Yao (dated to 460–465 CE), outside the much-studied Buddhist narrative. Proponents of the iconographic scheme have decoded the five larger than life-sized stone Buddha sculptures carved out of a low mountain range as embodying the family cult of the Northern Wei (386–534 CE) Tuoba ruling household in its design. Advancing on the notion proposed by the Northern Wei clergy of venerating the emperor as 'the coming Buddha Maitreya', I aim to explore how the visual scheme of the Five Caves of Tan Yao created a 'presence' of the emperor at the Wuzhou Mountain to elicit different types of perceptual response from its contemporary audience. The materiality of the stone sculptures was meant to awe the viewer into submission, as the 'presence' of the emperor, instead of his words, demanded obeisance from all his subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many of the sandstones at cultural heritage sites around the world are susceptible to chemical weathering, and long-term monitoring of the chemical weathering would be of great value for heritage conservation and would also provide reference data for environmental protection policies and projects. Reflectance spectroscopy is a potential tool for monitoring sandstone weathering due to its non-destructive characteristics. In this paper, we present the results of an investigation into the reflectance spectra of sandstones at the Yungang Grottoes, China, where the sandstones are variously fresh, calcite-dissolved, or argillitic-altered. We found several spectral absorptions, including those at 490, 675, 900, 1410, 1918, 2205, 2330, 2350, and 2380 nm. The absorptions at 490, 675, and 900 nm are related to hematite cement, while that at 2330 nm is associated with calcite cement. The absorptions at 1410, 2205, 2350, and 2380 nm are induced by the Al-OH vibration of kaolinite, and that at 1918 nm is related to crystal water. The calcite-dissolved sandstones have lower absorption intensities at 2330 nm than fresh sandstones, and the argillitic-altered sandstones have lower absorption intensities at 490, 675, and 900 nm than the fresh sandstones. In the 1st-derivative reflectance plots, the absorption peaks at ∼1400 nm shift towards shorter wavelengths with increasing kaolinite contents. The spectral features of the fresh, calcite-dissolved, and argillitic-altered sandstones are all different, and this means they can be distinguished spectroscopically, which demonstrates the usefulness of reflectance spectroscopy for the long-term monitoring of sandstone weathering in the Yungang Grottoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term strength of rock load-bearing elements is an important mechanical index to determine its bearing capacity and preservation when protecting cultural relics made of stone. In this paper, uniaxial compressive creep experiments of medium-coarse sandstone from the columns of the Yungang Grottoes were performed on both dried and water-saturated samples. The effects of rock-water interaction on the long-term strength of rocks and on the bearing capacity to evaluate safety were determined. The experimental results show that the instantaneous strength and long-term strength of the medium-coarse sandstone in a water-saturated state were lower than the dried samples. The creep properties of the saturated rock were more obvious and the time needed to achieve a steady state creep was longer. The safety factors of the long-term bearing capacity of water-saturated rocks were not high enough, which indicates the possibility of unstable damage to the columns. It is recommended to strengthen the column in a timely manner to prevent damage and potential safety issues, particularly waterproofing the columns for addition protection. Finally, these experimental results provide a reference for the long-term strength evaluation of rock columns, and provide a theoretical basis for waterproofing the World Cultural Heritage, Yungang Grottoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to alleviate water shortage in Yungang Mining Area of Datong, Shanxi, China, we intend to make use of water in goaf. In this paper, samples and water quality tests were carried out on the goaf water of Qingciyao mine, Jiangjiawan mine, Jinghuagong palace and Yungang mine in Yungang Mining Area. And the method of single factor pollution index, principal component analysis and improved Nemerow synthetic pollution index method were used to evaluate the environmental quality of the water in the goaf. Results showed that, BOD5, Total Iron, Ammonia Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus are the main contaminant in the four coal mines, and water quality of goaf in Qingciyao mine is the best with the Pi (Nemerow synthetic pollution index) value is 1.15 and the comprehensive principal component is -0.38. The water quality of Yungang is the worst since Pi value is 5.3 and 4.7 respectively, and the comprehensive main component is 1.54 and 1.55. But through proper treatment, the goaf water of Yungang Mining Area can reach the national standard of landscape recreation water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to alleviate water shortage in Yungang Mining Area of Datong, Shanxi, China, we intend to make use of water in goaf. In this paper, samples and water quality tests were carried out on the goaf water of Qingciyao mine, Jiangjiawan mine, Jinghuagong palace and Yungang mine in Yungang Mining Area. And the method of single factor pollution index, principal component analysis and improved Nemerow synthetic pollution index method were used to evaluate the environmental quality of the water in the goaf. Results showed that, BOD5, Total Iron, Ammonia Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus are the main contaminant in the four coal mines, and water quality of goaf in Qingciyao mine is the best with the Pi (Nemerow synthetic pollution index) value is 1.15 and the comprehensive principal component is -0.38. The water quality of Yungang is the worst since Pi value is 5.3 and 4.7 respectively, and the comprehensive main component is 1.54 and 1.55. But through proper treatment, the goaf water of Yungang Mining Area can reach the national standard of landscape recreation water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the study conducted by the authors on influence of water on the weathering processes of sandstone by using Sandstone from the Yungang Grottoes in China. Topics discussed include deterioration of sandstone which begins from weaker points of the samples, changes in mineral composition of the samples such as quartz grains, feldspar and lithic fragments, and sulfates of calcium and magnesium salt.

Salt crystallization in pore spaces will usually cause major damage to natural sandstone. Salt distribution and movement are hard to detect in the field within a small scale. Understanding salt generation and transportation in semi-arid regions can help to protect natural cultural relics and control the salt weathering damage. Salt transportation behavior and deposition processes in Yungang Grotto were studied through a detailed hydrochemistry analysis within the context of the atmosphere-rock-water environmental system. Changes of salt types in different media were analyzed according to the sequence of water and salt transportation, integrating the results of atmospheric dry and wet deposition, soil in the aeration area and sandstone, and salt on the rock surface. The study shows the generation of salt is related to vertical transport in the soil and rock weathering zone. Salt transportation originates from soil cover, passes through the sandstone weathering zone, and finally accumulates in the grottoes. Due to coal burning pollution, acid deposits leading to sulfate bind to the soil. Salt generation in soil is the result of neutralization among sulfate, carbonate, and carbonate minerals, leading to cations of soluble salt that give priority to bonding with Ca and Mg, while the anions are mainly HCO and SO. Salt in sandstone weathered crust is not only impacted by soil, but also carbonate dissolution from CO-rich water, its inverse process, and feldspar dissolution. Rock surfaces in the inner grottoes suffer intense evaporation, resulting in salt accumulation, and carbonate and sulfate mineral deposition or dissolution, producing the salt type of MgSO or NaSO, while HCO and Ca are heavily consumed. The result can provide a scientific basis for engineering measures that reduce the hazard of salt accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deterioration of grottoes induced by the negative impacts of the variable temperature and moisture conditions has been an important issue in the conservation of heritage sites in China. In this case study, the spatial distributions and varying patterns of moisture and temperature in the caves of Yungang Grottoes, China, were investigated. The relative air humidity was approximately 100 % in the deep zone of the unsaturated surrounding rocks of the grottoes where the temperature remained almost steady at around 9.4 °C. However, the indoor air temperature, relative humidity, and rock surface temperature in the caves varied significantly because of the active exchange of the air with the outside atmosphere. The condensation water appeared on cave walls in the summer when the dew point in the air was higher than the rock surface temperature. Preliminary assessments with a special collection device indicated that the thickness of the transient condensation water could reach 0.03-0.10 mm on the back wall of a cave. The occurrence of this condensation water is expected to worsen salt deterioration of the sculptures in the grottoes. As revealed by long-term observations, a wooden building in front of a cave can weaken the indoor air temperature fluctuation and reduce the condensation water, and consequently, prevent the negative effects of the microclimate for the sculptures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Laser cleaning is firstly used to remove the contaminations on the sandstone surfaces in Yungang Grottoes. A Q-switched Nd:YAG laser operated at 1064nm with a pulse width of 10ns is used to perform the experiments. Before experiments in Yungang Grottoes, the laboratory experiments on sandstone samples obtained from Shanxi province have been conducted. The laser induced damage thresholds of the uncontaminated sandstones and the laser cleaning thresholds of ink contaminated sandstones have been obtained in the laboratory. The difference between the cleaning effects of dry laser cleaning and steam laser cleaning has been compared. On the basis of the laboratory experimental data, the experiments in Yungang Grottoes have been conducted and the results indicate that laser cleaning is safe and effective for removal of graffiti ink and black smudges of smoke. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Black crusts, such as dust deposit and smoked smudge, are the main pollutants in Yungang Grottoes, the world famous Buddhist heritage site. It is always considered that the black crust should be removed during the conservation process of stones. In this paper, the investigation of the role of smoked crust on the Yungang sandstones was performed to verify if the smoked layer on the stone surface would be harmful or protective. The results of SO2 corrosion experiments with and without water both show that the samples covered with smoked layer can play a protective role on the sandstones, which means that the smoked layer on the stones can prevent the attack of SO2 and water, the major deterioration agents in Yungang area. The multi-factor deterioration cycle experiments, including salt crystallization, freeze–thaw damage, wet–dry cycle and acid corrosion, also indicate that the smoked samples are less deteriorated and salt crystallization is the most severe damage to the sandstones. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Yungang Grottoes, in Datong City of Shanxi Province, China, as the state-level key cultural relic preservation organ, have been subjected to severe degradation due to natural and human factors over the years. Since January 2010, site investigation and research on Yungang Grottoes, assisted by the Xi’an Relics Protection Center and Yungang Grottoes Cultural Research Institute, have been carried out in the laboratory of cultural relics conservation materials in Zhejiang University. Our investigation of the deterioration characteristics of these grottoes is presented here. The paper describes about 12 types of diseases in detail represented by dust deposit, salt crystallization and black crust. Relevant samples have been collected and analyzed by means of SEM, FT-IR, XRD and EDAX to study the potential hazard to the sandstones and conservation methods, which could be used to help guide remediation efforts directed at reducing the weathering problem. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]