Stone-imitating plasters in the Renaissance Ducal Palace in Mantua (Italy): characteristics and decay with relation to microstructure

Abstract eng:
The plasters of the 16th century Cavallerizza Courtyard in the Ducal Palace in Mantua (Italy) were designed to imitate natural stones (rustication work, carved marble, etc.). They were produced for both aesthetic and manufacturing purposes with highly variable formulations, resulting in highly variable microstructures of the final elements. Because the plasters have been exposed to high concentrations of atmospheric pollutants in the last decades, they currently exhibit severe decay, differing on the basis of microstructural characteristics. The aim of this paper is to analyze the complex interaction between environmental aggressiveness, plaster microstructure, and degradation phenomena in view of their restoration. Plaster samples were collected from the Loggia side of the courtyard at short distance from one another, so that exposure conditions could be considered constant. The samples were characterized in terms of mineralogical composition, overall open porosity, and pore size distribution; and the degree of the chemical attack for each sample was assessed by comparing the salt contents of the inner and external layers. In light of microstructure characterization and chemical attack evaluation, guidelines for restoration of the plasters were proposed.

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