A fuzzy model for classifying mechanical properties of vesicular basalt used in prehistoric buildings

Severe restrictions are placed on the removal of samples of material from scheduled ancient monuments. This often makes it impossible to statistically determine the main characteristics of the building stones, such as mineralogical composition, microstructure and physical and mechanical properties, for archaeometric purposes and for the design and implementation of conservation projects. In this context, the use of fuzzy techniques for processing available data (quantitative values but even subjective appraisals) may prove useful. Here we present an example of application of fuzzy modelling procedures using the data (porosimetric, mineralogical and mechanical) determined for a series of vesicular basalt stones from three archaeological areas riches in remains of prehistoric megalithic buildings in Sardinia (western Mediterranean Sea).