Consolidation of historical stone heritage: an overview of current research

In the last century, the deterioration of heritage buildings has significantly accelerated, largely due to increasing air pollution and the effects of climate change, which have intensified the degradation mechanisms of natural stone materials. This growing vulnerability has raised critical concerns within the conservation community, prompting the development of innovative and scientifically grounded strategies to safeguard cultural heritage and ensure its long-term accessibility. Among these strategies, consolidation treatments are frequently employed to restore the physical and mechanical integrity of weathered stone. As part of the PhD activities in Heritage Science, this paper aims to review and compare different consolidating treatments on natural stones by means of inorganic products, assessing their role on the main chemical, physical and morphological properties of substrates. This research offers a perspective on the challenges and opportunities in the field of cultural heritage conservation, integrating traditional and innovative approaches.