Relationship between microstructure and bowing properties of calcite marble claddings

The use of thin (20–40 mm) marble as cladding for building facades has increased substantially during the last few decades. Many of the marble facades perform but some durability problems have occurred, especially with calcite marble, when the cladding starts to bow indicating a decrease in strength. This study considers the influence of the microstructure on the bowing of the calcite marble using adjacent grains analysis. Samples with a granoblastic texture all had six adjacent grains while those with a more complex microstructure had up to 13 adjacent grains. The samples with a granoblastic texture had the greatest degree of bowing, suggesting that the microstructure is a crucial parameter for the durability of marble and that adjacent grains analysis could be a fast and easy method to assess the suitability of marble for cladding purposes.