Characterisation and diagnosis of the conservation state of cementitious materials exposed to the open air in XIX century lighthouses located on the coast of the Basque Country: ‘The case of Igueldo lighthouse, San Sebastian, North of Spain’

Abstract

Non‐invasive Raman spectroscopy for molecular analysis, assisted with other analytical techniques such as X‐ray fluorescence for elemental analysis were applied to characterise possible pathologies on cement mortar and concrete (cementitious materials) from a historical 19 th century lighthouse exposed to the open air, in Igueldo (San Sebastian, Basque Country, North of Spain). The spectroscopic observations were compared with quantitative concentration values of cations and anions extracted as soluble salts, treated by chemometric tools. The integrated analytical techniques were used to diagnose the influence of (1) marine aerosol, (2) seagull droppings and (3) original addition of sulphates to the cementitious materials, on the formation of decaying products such as chlorides, sulphates, nitrates, etc., that affect the integrity of the lighthouse outdoor area. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.