New tools for the protection of cultural heritage in Italy : innovative techniques for in-situ diagnostics

Several researches have been undertaken to understand the phenomenon of water transportation in any state required for determining the mechanism by which water accelerates damage to the monuments. An effective assessment of dampness requires knowledge of the thermo-hydrometric conditions determined by the exchange of water with the soil, air and other buildings. Moisture content may be measured with many different techniques, both direct and indirect that includes weighing tests, infrared thermography (IRT), microwave techniques and unilateral nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Weighing tests and IRT are accepted as standard techniques by conservators and the scientific community, and are used routinely on-site when moisture monitoring is seen as crucial for a conservation plan. Moisture Detection in the Historical Masonry (MOdihMA) research project involved several studies that compared testing procedures, which could be used on-site for the evaluation of masonry moisture content and water exchanges between building materials and the environment.