Innovative dimensioning of natural stone facades

Important results from the project

The main purpose of this project is to strengthen the position of natural stone as an environmentally friendly product for building façade envelopes. To create guidelines and education material for safe and efficient anchoring techniques. The project results clearly indicate that the evaluated technique is safe to use but with well-defined restrictions. The project group has also commenced collaboration with producers of adhesives and, together, agreed upon unified, trade guidelines and continued collaboration on education and certification of persons.

Expected long term effects

A field survey of the use of the somewhat controversial anchoring technique using adhesives has been made with conclusions about the main problems leading to new guidelines for proper and safe use. The review of the existing European standard for accelerated testing of adhesives for tiles will lead to relevant requirements for stone products, safer use and fair competition. The project has brought together all relevant parties into a very constructive collaboration which will continue after the project end. This is very beneficial for the market and its stakeholders.

Approach and implementation

Initially we compiled case studies, primarily where the technique of using adhesives had been implemented. The evaluation of these case studies led to definition of concrete improvement suggestions. Selected stone types were subsequently used in accelerated climatic tests to simulate the case studies and to evaluate a European standard test method for ceramic tiles. Improvements have been proposed and will be presented to CEN. Together with installers and producers of adhesives we then agreed on new guidelines and the need to implement education and certification of persons.