Lathwork

Lathwork is used when building elements do not constitute a suitable base for the proposed plaster or rendering system, either because they have insufficient strength (lightweight masonry, ETIC systems) or they cannot form a strong bond with the mortar (timber or steel elements).

Furthermore, lathwork grains are more abundant than felsitic grains in most west Valdez-area samples, but felsitic grains dominate or are subequal to lathwork grains in most central Valdez-area samples .

Our results indicate that the lathwork textures (Fig. 14c) commonly found in basaltic lavas (e.g. Ingersoll and Cavazza 1991) may not survive the physical weathering process that liberates mainly individual plagioclase grains and microlitic volcanic lithic fragments.