This study presents an improved methodology for assessing the environmental sensitivity of the host rock in Huashan art paintings. A hygroscopic experiment was first designed to determine the moisture diffusion coefficient of the rock mass preserving the Huashan rock paintings, as verified by hygroscopic kinetics. Additionally, variations in color difference values were simultaneously used to quantitatively evaluate moisture absorption characteristics. Subsequently, a finite element (FE) simulation was conducted to assess potential damage to the rock art system with respect to varying environmental conditions. Regarding the correlated functions with consideration of the influencing factors, the environmental sensitivity of the host rock in Huashan art paintings was clarified to illustrate the deterioration process resulting from the combined effects of temperature and humidity. It is found that the deformation gradient (F) and maximum tensile stress (σmax) exhibit a linear relationship with ambient temperature (Ta), and an exponential relationship with heat transfer coefficient (h). The ambient humidity (Hen) and surface humidity exchange coefficient (f) primarily influence the water content of the rock mass. This insight into the host rock in Huashan art paintings provides a valuable approach to highlight the active role of environmental conditions and offers an additional methodology to understand the detachment of large superficial rock flakes and the granular disintegration of the rock.
Wang et al. (2026) studied this question.