The art of carving stone using itacolomi quartzite was employed in the monuments of Ouro Preto city in Minas Gerais. More than 350 years after being built, some of these monuments are in an advanced stage of deterioration. In the restoration of these buildings, some restaurateurs employ orthophthalic polyester resin. In the present study, both non-glued and glued (using different types of resins) itacolomi quartzite were submitted to a flexion strength test. After some trials, it was verified that the resins supported greater loads than the quartzite. All specimens broke outside the resin's application area, thus confirming the effectiveness of resin adherence to rock.
Quartzite; resins; mechanical behavior; historical monuments
