Abstract

Public awareness of the need to preserve, protect and enhance the historic heritage in question, on account of its intrinsic cultural value and its relevance to environmental concerns, is a well-established fact. While the devastating, irreversible damage wrought by inappropriate intervention methods are right under our eyes, the experience acquired in over a quarter of a century of strengthening and restoration works has led to the following conclusions: (a) Repair and restoration interventions must be conducted on the basis of careful investigations into the composition of the materials, construction history, deterioration mechanisms. (b) The investigation must focus on the relationships and interactions between the decorative apparatus and the supporting masonry, the microclimate and the soil in direct contact with the structure. (c) In Piedmont, as anywhere, it is possible to identify a multiplicity of local practices in terms of masonry construction, finishing and decoration methods that are able to make use of local materials and resources. (d) Each local technique gives rise to special problems of compatibility with some of the integration and bonding systems to be adopted. (e) In designing rehabilitation and restoration works it is necessary to resort to systems that have been specifically tested for compatibility, durability, and, possibly, reversibility.

Developers

The research activity will be developed by different subjects: The Politecnico di Torino and the National Research Institute of Metrology (INRiM), and involving the Special Natural Reserve of the Sacro Monte di Varallo as co-proponent. The results will be largely disseminated by Territorial Authorities (FAI, Local Tourist Agencies, etc.).

the research team

The project Proposer Leader is the Department of Structural and Geotechnical Engineering (DISTR) of the Politecnico di Torino in cooperation with the other project Proposers: the Department of Building Engineering and Territorial Systems (DISET), the Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering (DISMIC) of the Politecnico di Torino and the Thermodynamic Division of the National Research Institute of Metrology (INRiM).

The Project Responsible is Prof. Alberto Carpinteri (DISTR), the Vice-Responsible is Prof. Pietro Giovanni Bocca (DISTR).

The Co-proposer is a relevant Public Authority of Piedmont Region involved in the preservation, safeguard and restoration of historical artistic heritage: the Special Natural Reserve of the Sacro Monte di Varallo.