PETROGRAPHY OF URBAN AREAS

Knowledge and understanding - The main topic of the course is to supply adequate knowledge and ability in a) evaluate vulnerability of ancient masonry in urban areas; b) evaluate the conservation status of Cultural Heritages; c) acquire skills in conservation and protection methods finalised to minimize the risk in Cultural Heritage Science.

Applying knowledge and understanding - The student will acquire and put into practice the ability to recognize the different stone materials and the forms of degradation associated with them directly on the buildings and monuments being studied..

Making judgements - the student will develop independent judgment in evaluating the characteristics of stone materials through observations and on-site exercises

Communication skills and learning skills - will be the subject of the exam test

The course consists of lectures and exercises on field

- Introduction - vulnerability of ancient masonry in urban areas - UNESCO recommendation for the evaluation of the vulnerability in historical centers - Elements of architectural requirements for masonry - Advanced studies and in-depth petrographic analysis on natural and artificial building stones, with particular interest to Sicilian raw materials - Natural building stones (local historical and modern quarries, replacement stones, in-situ and laboratory tests for the characterization of quarried materials, degradation processes in building stones and evaluation of the effect of degrade in structural stability of masonry) - Artificial building stones. (Manufacture of artificial stone materials used in antiquity, manufacture of replacement artificial building materials for restoration actions,  degradation processes in building stones and evaluation of the effect of degrade in structural stability of masonry - Methods for the evaluation of masonry vulnerability in urban areas - Overview on risks (static risk; environmental risk; anthropic risk) - Vulnerability (exposure to risks; anthropic, climatic, environmental factors; conservation state of masonry) • Methods for the vulnerability evaluation • Methods for environmental monitoring - Models and methods for the determination of the conservation state of masonry  • Non-invasive and non-destructive methods • Multispectral Imaging techniques - Focus on restoration actions for the conservation and protection of building materials used in the historical masonry • Consolidant and protective products • non invasive and non destructive methods for monitoring and evaluating the efficiency of conservation/protection actions. - Cases histories

Educational material provided by the teacher