Addressing seepage water challenges in limestone grotto fissures through ventilation-driven evaporation strategies
Water damage is one of the primary threats to limestone grottoes. This study proposes the installation of rainproof cowls above the heritage site, which not only shield against rainfall but also enhance the evaporation of seepage water within crevices. Research findings indicate that after the installation of the cowls, the wind speed in the crevices of the cliff increased from 0 to 3.8 m/s, while the evaporation time of seepage water decreased from the original 3–4 days to just 53 min. Additionally, the wind speed inside the grottoes rose from 0 to 0.1 m/s. This study represents an innovative interdisciplinary approach to mitigating water seepage damage, holding positive significance for the preservation of human civilization and cultural heritage.
Authors
- Li Fan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4722-3933)
- Pingan Ni (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8290-4203)
- Zengfeng Yan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7323-4922)
- Zhe Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9108-4101)
- Siqi Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4675-5498)
- Jiangli Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9646-6291)
- Chaolong Ma
Institutions
- Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology (CN)
- Henan University of Science and Technology (CN)
- State Key Laboratory of Building Safety and Built Environment (CN)
- Henan Provincial Academy of Building Research (CN)
- Luoyang Cement Engineering Design and Research Institute (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- npj Heritage Science
- Published
- 2025-12-06
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s40494-025-02181-0
- Primary Topic
- Building materials and conservation
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- National Engineering Research Center of Building Technology