PRESIOUS: Simulating the effects of erosion on cultural heritage objects

Background

The collaborative 3-year STREP project PRESIOUS (Predictive digitization, restoration and degradation assessment of cultural heritage objects, funded under the 7th Framework Programme of the European Commission 2013-2016) aimed at estimating and predicting monument degradation as well as producing visualisation tools to facilitate the reconstruction of damaged items. The innovative ICT tools and solutions produced would enable: 1) on-the-fly auto-completion for 3d digitalisation – enabling the visual reconstruction of a damaged object/monument’ shape, 2) estimation and prediction of monument degradation based on measurement of a series of parameters (e.g. present surface shape, environmental factors, material behaviour) and 3) 3D fractured object restoration and completion.

The tools for estimation and prediction of monument degradation were tested on monuments at two significant heritage sites: the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim (Norway) and the Demeter Sanctuary in Elefsis (Greece)

For the Trondheim case study, erosion data was obtained from erosion chambers (which simulate atmospheric pollutants, the effect of saline intrusion and the freeze-thaw effect in a controlled environment). The study utilised a prototype software application that simulates surface mesh alterations of heritage objects and allowed to imitate processes of stone degradation phenomena like surface recession and crust formation after 3D scanning of the monuments.