EN 16302:2013

Conservation of cultural heritage - Test methods - Measurement of water absorption by pipe method

This European Standard specifies a method to measure water absorption of porous inorganic materials used for and constituting cultural property by pipe method.
The method may be used on porous inorganic materials which are untreated or have been subjected to any treatment or ageing.
The method may be used both in the laboratory and in situ due to its non destructive nature.

Erhaltung des kulturellen Erbes - Prüfverfahren - Messung der Wasseraufnahme bei niedrigem Druck

Diese Europäische Norm legt ein Prüfverfahren zur Bestimmung der Wasseraufnahme von porösen anorganischen Materialien mit Prüfrohr fest, die an kulturellem Erbe Verwendung finden.
Das Verfahren kann bei porösen anorganischen Materialien angewendet werden, unabhängig davon, ob diese unbehandelt sind oder einer Behandlung oder Alterung unterworfen wurden.
Dieses Verfahren ist zerstörungsfrei und kann sowohl im Labor als auch vor Ort angewendet werden.

Conservation des biens culturels - Méthodes d'essai - Mesurage de l'absorption d'eau par la méthode à la pipette

La présente Norme européenne spécifie une méthode pour mesurer l'absorption d'eau des matériaux inorganiques poreux utilisés dans les biens culturels ou les constituant par une méthode utilisant une pipette.
Cette méthode peut être utilisée sur des matériaux inorganiques poreux non traités ou soumis à un traitement quelconque ou faisant l’objet d’un vieillissement naturel.
Cette méthode peut être utilisée à la fois en laboratoire et sur site en raison de sa nature non destructrice.

Ohranjanje kulturne dediščine - Preskusne metode - Merjenje absorpcije vode z merjenjem s cevjo

Ta evropski standard določa metodo za merjenje absorbcije vode pri pozornih anorganskih materialih, ki predstavljajo kulturno dediščino in se uporabljajo zanjo, z merjenjem s cevjo. Ta metoda se lahko uporablja za porozne anorganske materiale, ki niso bili obdelani ali pa so bili obdelani s katero koli metodo ali postopkom staranja. Ta metoda se lahko zaradi njene neškodljivosti uporablja tako v laboratoriju kot na kraju samem.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 05-Feb-2013
• ICS: 97.195 - Items of art and handicrafts. Cultural property and heritage
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 346 - Conservation of cultural property
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 346/WG 3 - Evaluation of methods and products for conservation works
• Current Stage: 9093 - Decision to confirm - Review Enquiry
• Start Date: 05-Nov-2024
• Completion Date: 14-Apr-2025
• Ref Project: SIST EN 16302:2014 - Conservation of cultural heritage - Test methods - Measurement of water absorption by pipe method

Overview

EN 16302:2013 - "Conservation of cultural heritage - Test methods - Measurement of water absorption by pipe method" (CEN) specifies a standardized, non‑destructive procedure to measure water absorption of porous inorganic materials (natural stone, brick, mortar, plaster, etc.) using the pipe (pipette/Karsten) method. The method is applicable to untreated materials or materials that have been treated or aged, and can be performed both in situ and in the laboratory.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Principle: measure the volume of water transferred through a defined test area over time; results reported as ml/cm² (volume absorbed ÷ test area).
• Test equipment: transparent graduated pipe (types for vertical surfaces “V” and horizontal “H”), water reservoir and connection tube, sealing material (non‑staining), and a chronometer (1 s accuracy).
• Common pipe types: includes the Karsten tube (V1) and larger variants; Annex A gives typical dimensions (test areas and column sizes).
• Specimen preparation: for laboratory tests, specimens are pre‑conditioned - polished, washed, immersed briefly, then dried to constant mass (oven at 60 ± 2 °C or 40 ± 2 °C for temperature‑sensitive materials).
• Test procedure: pipe sealed to a flat, homogeneous surface; fill to zero, start timer, record level changes at short intervals (10 s–1 min initially), then every 5 minutes until absorption is constant or until 1 hour.
• Data and expression of results: present water absorption Qi vs time ti; calculate Wi (ml/cm² at ti) and final Wf at tf. Record ambient T and RH for context.
• Reporting: required content includes reference to EN 16302, lab and site details, material description, pipe type and test area, time intervals, Qi/Wi/Wf values, graphs, deviations and environmental conditions.

Practical applications and who uses it

• Used by conservators, conservation scientists, heritage architects, stone/masonry specialists, restoration contractors and laboratories to:
  • Assess material porosity and susceptibility to water ingress (rain, driving rain analogues).
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of surface treatments or conservation interventions.
  • Monitor deterioration risk and inform conservation decisions for buildings, monuments, sculptures and architectural surfaces.
• Because the method is non‑destructive and portable, it is particularly valuable for in situ assessment of historic façades, sculptures and masonry.

Related standards

• EN 15898 (conservation terms and definitions) - normative reference.
• The standard also references capillarity and sampling standards and established methods (e.g., RILEM II.4) for complementary testing strategies.

Keywords: EN 16302, water absorption, pipe method, Karsten tube, conservation of cultural heritage, in situ measurement, porous inorganic materials, stone conservation, masonry testing.

Standards Content (Sample)

2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.Erhaltung des kulturellen Erbes - Prüfverfahren - Messung der Wasseraufnahme bei niedrigem DruckConservation des biens culturels - Méthodes d'essai - Mesurage de l'absorption d'eau par la méthode à la pipetteConservation of cultural heritage - Test methods - Measurement of water absorption by pipe method97.195Umetniški in obrtniški izdelkiItems of art and handicraftsICS:Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z:EN 16302:2013SIST EN 16302:2014en,fr,de01-januar-2014SIST EN 16302:2014SLOVENSKI
STANDARD
EUROPEAN STANDARD NORME EUROPÉENNE EUROPÄISCHE NORM
EN 16302
February 2013 ICS 97.195 English Version
Conservation of cultural heritage - Test methods - Measurement of water absorption by pipe method
Conservation des biens culturels - Méthodes d'essai - Mesurage de l'absorption d'eau par la méthode à la pipette Erhaltung des kulturellen Erbes - Prüfverfahren - Messung der Wasseraufnahme bei niedrigem Druck This European Standard was approved by CEN on 28 December 2012.
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
Management Centre:
Avenue Marnix 17,
B-1000 Brussels © 2013 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CEN national Members. Ref. No. EN 16302:2013: ESIST EN 16302:2014

Laboratory measurements  .10 7.3 Specimen pre-conditioning .10 7.4 Test procedure .10 8 Expression of the results.11 8.1 General .11 8.2 Calculation of water absorption per unit of surface area Wi, at the time ti .11 8.3 Calculation of total water absorption per unit of surface area Wf, at time tf.11 9 Test report .11 Annex A (informative)
Common types of pipes.13 A.1 TYPE “V1” - KARSTEN TUBE .13 A.2 TYPE "V2" - "Large surface for heterogeneous materials".14 A.3 TYPE "V3" - "Italian pipe" .14 Bibliography .15
...