Stone Assistance has developed new fast testing methods to characterize physico-mechanical properties of stones and other building materials based on alternative techniques on very small samples which cannot be tested with standard normalized procedures. Semi-destructive techniques such as scratching, micro-drilling and micro-coring techniques are parts of the new methodology used to characterize the stones. Strength, density, porosity, capillarity, permeability, hardness, abrasiveness, resistance to wear, friction coefficient are the most common properties which can be determined. Other developments on impact resistance and fatigue are under development.

Our tests :

• Density, porosity, permeability to gaz, capillarity
• Strength (uniaxial compressive strenth, tensile strength, point load strength,...)
• Intrinsic specific energy, drilling strength
• Hardness, abrasiveness
• Sonic velocity, dynamic Young's modulus
• Slip resistance
• Resistance to abrasive wear
• Salt weathering, frost resistance