The behaviour to weathering of the Hyblean limestone in the Baroque architecture of the Val di Noto (SE Sicily): An experimental study on the “calcare a lumachella” stone

•Characterisation of a carbonate building stone used in the Val di Noto (SE Sicily).•The calcare a lumachella stone shows higher durability than other local limestones.•Its intrinsic features are responsible for the high resistance to decay. This work focuses on the study of the “calcare a lumachella” stone (Mt. Carrubba Fm.), a carbonate rock widely used as building and decorative material in the Baroque architecture of the Val di Noto (south-eastern Sicily). Among all types of limestone outcropping in the area, this lithotype shows higher resistance to weathering. In such a context, the main goal of this study is to correlate the mineralogical–petrographic and physical-mechanical features of the “calcare a lumachella” stone with its excellent response to weathering. For such a purpose, all obtained data were also compared with those from literature concerning other local limestones whose behaviour with respect to weathering is rather different.