Conserving Stone Heritage: Traditional and Innovative Materials and Techniques

The design of treatments for the conservation of stone in historical  buildings and works of art is a challenging task, as a deep  understanding of the working properties and performance of the available  products and methods is required to tackle complex decay patterns.

The  chapters in this book illustrate the state of the art on traditional  and innovative materials and methods for stone conservation, examining  current trends and future perspectives. Each of them is focused on  describing the consequent phases that complement the spectrum of the  conservation intervention: preliminary investigations, condition  assessment, and mapping of the deterioration patterns; surface cleaning,  with a specific focus on laser technology; consolidation; protection;  repair mortars and grouts; and onsite assessment and monitoring of  conservation treatments. The performance of the applied conservation  interventions is criticized and discussed with an aim of providing the  specialists with specific tools for stone conservation.

This  book intends to bridge the gap between laboratory studies and  conservation interventions, by linking together the diverse scientific  areas involved in the preservation of stone heritage. Different case  studies are included, highlighting specific conservation challenges and  their solutions in order to understand and overcome them. The aim is to  guide conservators, conservation scientists and heritage stakeholders in  the selection of compatible and sustainable materials and techniques  for Conserving Stone Heritage.