Valorization and Protection of Cultural Heritage via Innovative Technologies

A special issue of Heritage (ISSN 2571-9408). This special issue belongs to the section "Cultural Heritage".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 21866

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail
Guest Editor
NEXTANT Applications & Innovative Solutions S.r.l., Napoli, Italy
Interests: optical and radar satellite remote sensing applications to cultural heritage; monitoring of natural and anthropic phenomena by satellite; satellite radar interferometry for cultural heritage; detection and monitoring of surface damage using remote sensing techniques; GIS applications in archaeology; innovative technological fruition solutions

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Electromagnetic Sensing of the Environment, National Research Council of Italy (IREA CNR), Via Diocleziano 328, 80127 Napoli, Italy
Interests: signal processing; non-invasive electromagnetic diagnostics; airborne and in situ radar imaging; reconstruction of geometrical and electromagnetic features of targets by means of microwave and terahertz devices; development of data processing strategies and methodologies; image interpretation; non-invasive subsurface radar surveys of cultural heritage assets
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail
Guest Editor
TopView S.r.l., San Nicola La Strada (Caserta), Italy
Interests: landscape archaeology; UAV remote sensing; GIS applications in archaeology

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Knowledge for Business S.r.l., Napoli, Italy
Interests: virtual and augmented reality for museums and cultural heritage; IoT and technological devices for CH fruition; interactive exhibits; accessibility; app and web technologies; new media; research to business strategies

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Conservation and valorization of cultural heritage (CH) benefits from novel technological solutions that are capable of performing non-invasive diagnostics and monitoring with improved fruition and accessibility.

Within this framework, diagnostic and monitoring technologies have received huge attention, particularly those that are aimed at:

  • assuring periodic and systematic evaluation of degradation phenomena due to natural aging and anthropic causes;
  • supporting the planning of preventive actions for the mitigation of risk factors;
  • reducing the costs of restoration interventions, thanks to maintenance interventions;
  • monitoring the flow of visitors, in order to properly manage site accessibility while assuring safety.

Moreover, the adoption of technological tools devoted to attracting tourists’ attention and to assuring the widespread fruition of CH properties is considered the key to offering a personalized visiting experience.

According to the above considerations, the goal of the Special Issue is to present the state of art of diagnostic and monitoring technologies which act, both in situ and ex situ, on satellites (optical and radar) and airborne platforms, including drones, and that are aimed at gathering information useful to the monitoring of natural and anthropic hazards, assessing of structural integrity, and characterization of the conservation conditions of artworks and their materials. In addition, the Special Issue takes into accounts sensors for detecting global and local environmental changes, including those devoted to measuring climatic parameters and weathering effects, as well information and communication methodologies for virtual representations and augmented reality.

Therefore, we invite papers on the following non-exhaustive list of topics:

  • Sensing, diagnostic, and monitoring technologies;
  • Local and distributed sensors for monitoring climate effects;
  • Methodologies for artwork investigations and materials characterization;
  • Multiscale imaging;
  • Multiparametric investigations;
  • Advanced data processing technologies applied to the valorization and conservation of CH;
  • Augmented reality technologies;
  • Best practices for CH management;
  • Case studies dealing with valorization and conservation of CH.

Dr. Nicole Dore
Dr. Ilaria Catapano
Dr. Federico Saccoccio
Dr. Francesca Cocco
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Heritage is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (6 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

29 pages, 10422 KiB  
Article
A “Smartly Functional” Urban 3D Model: A New Way to Preserve the State of Health and Quality of a Complex Masonry Structure
by Antonietta Varasano, Maria Lepore, Marina Zonno and Salvatore Capotorto
Heritage 2021, 4(1), 437-465; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/heritage4010027 - 25 Feb 2021
Viewed by 2636
Abstract
The 3D model is the primary information of an integrated support system for the assessment of structural safety under vertical loads and seismic vulnerability of a masonry building. The available approaches for evaluating seismic demand and capacity still appear inadequate and today aims [...] Read more.
The 3D model is the primary information of an integrated support system for the assessment of structural safety under vertical loads and seismic vulnerability of a masonry building. The available approaches for evaluating seismic demand and capacity still appear inadequate and today aims to improve the process of knowledge of the seismic behavior of masonry structures and of the reliability of the numerical analysis of evaluation methods. Discrete modeling approaches (macro-elements) can lead to more reliable results if accurate surveys of the geometry and construction details of the masonry structure are used, especially in contexts where advise against the execution of invasive on-site tests for assessments both under vertical and seismic loads, limiting the investigation campaigns. In order to improve digital processes, oriented to the knowledge of the state of health and quality of a masonry structure, this study illustrates a new overture to virtual modeling and assessment of the structural safety of this type of work. The survey and relief methodology here proposed integrates digital data sensors—configured within an IoT (Internet of Things) network—in a geometric model with a level of accurate and precise detail, processed downstream of the laser scanner and photogrammetric survey of the single masonry building, as “S. Domenico Church in the “Sassi” of Matera. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 29081 KiB  
Article
A Citizen Science Approach to Build a Knowledge Base and Cadastre on Earth Buildings in the Weinviertel Region, Austria
by Thomas Schauppenlehner, Renate Eder, Kim Ressar, Hubert Feiglstorfer, Roland Meingast and Franz Ottner
Heritage 2021, 4(1), 125-139; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/heritage4010007 - 13 Jan 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2975
Abstract
Clay played a decisive role as a building material in the Austrian Weinviertel region. Its traditional use in vernacular architecture started to disappear in the 19th century, triggered, for example, by upcoming industrial processes to produce construction materials such as burnt bricks, and [...] Read more.
Clay played a decisive role as a building material in the Austrian Weinviertel region. Its traditional use in vernacular architecture started to disappear in the 19th century, triggered, for example, by upcoming industrial processes to produce construction materials such as burnt bricks, and by making them available as mass building products in course of the time—even for vernacular purpose and at remote places. Following a debate on ecological sustainability during the last decades, the striking advantages of clay as a building material have been rediscovered. However, to support restoration activities and develop new uses, a vital and profound knowledge of properties of the local clay and its traditional local use is required. It is therefore important to increase the knowledge of this unique heritage among the local population and the scientific community. This article aims to present the development of an earth building cadastre (Lehmbaukataster) based on an innovative Citizen Science approach using mobile technologies for activating and integrating the local population with specific local and historical knowledge of earth architecture in the Weinviertel. The results show that citizens can provide essential information to develop a cadastre on earth buildings. Supported by a web application with GPS location facilities, camera, and low entry barriers, citizens can contribute to the expansion of the scientific database. The research results are a strong impetus for the development of strategies for the valorization and protection of cultural heritage. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

23 pages, 2711 KiB  
Article
Structural Health Monitoring in Historical Buildings: A Network Approach
by Konstantinos Bezas, Vasileios Komianos, George Koufoudakis, Georgios Tsoumanis, Katerina Kabassi and Konstantinos Oikonomou
Heritage 2020, 3(3), 796-818; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/heritage3030044 - 16 Jul 2020
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2825
Abstract
Structural health monitoring (SHM) in historical buildings can be achieved through systems that rely on Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). Such systems have the ability to acquire information fast and reliably, making them ideal for SHM applications. Historical buildings, having been exposed to the [...] Read more.
Structural health monitoring (SHM) in historical buildings can be achieved through systems that rely on Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). Such systems have the ability to acquire information fast and reliably, making them ideal for SHM applications. Historical buildings, having been exposed to the wear of time, are especially sensitive to any kind of intervention. As a result, keeping them as intact as possible is a critical factor for their integrity. In the current work, a low-cost WSN system and a synchronization algorithm are developed in order to be employed for SHM of historical buildings. The synchronization of WSN-based SHM systems is critical for the collection of accurate information describing the building’s condition. The effectiveness of the assumed hardware and the synchronization algorithm were evaluated with two experiments. The first took place under laboratory conditions and its results showcase the algorithm’s accuracy of synchronization. The second experiment was conducted in a real-world environment. For that purpose, the Ionian Campus Testbed was chosen since it comprises buildings that are more than 200 years old. These buildings are appropriate since they were built with thick stone walls which help determine the system’s effectiveness under such conditions. The results derived from the second experiment showcase the effects of the packet transmission collision avoidance mechanism utilized by the assumed hardware. Finally, an estimation of the average clock skew required for accurate information gathering is derived, based on the materials comprising a historical building. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 1783 KiB  
Article
Enzymatic Activity as a Measure of Total Microbial Activity on Historical Stone
by Elif Sırt Çıplak and Kiraz Göze Akoğlu
Heritage 2020, 3(3), 671-681; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/heritage3030038 - 03 Jul 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2284
Abstract
Stones of historical monuments exposed to the open air deteriorate over the course of time depending on physical, chemical, and biological factors acting in co-association. Among the biological factors, microorganisms play a key role in the deterioration process of stones. Detecting the level [...] Read more.
Stones of historical monuments exposed to the open air deteriorate over the course of time depending on physical, chemical, and biological factors acting in co-association. Among the biological factors, microorganisms play a key role in the deterioration process of stones. Detecting the level of microbial activity on stones is an essential step in diagnostic and monitoring studies of stone biodeterioration, and aids in controlling the performance of treatments applied to the stones. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a practical and rapid method for the determination of microbial activity on historical stones and use this method on the Mount Nemrut monuments (MNMs) (Adiyaman, Turkey). For that purpose, the fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis method, frequently employed for soil environments, was adapted for the estimation and assessment of total microbial activity to understand whether microorganisms posed a potential risk for the biodeterioration of the limestones and sandstones of the MNMs. The traditional plate count method was also applied simultaneously to the same stone samples to compare and assist in the interpretation of the results of the FDA hydrolysis method, which relies on the quantitative determination of bacterial and fungal colonies in nutrient agar and malt extract agar medium, respectively. The results of the FDA hydrolysis and plate count methods showed consistency. The total microbial activity determined by the FDA hydrolysis method was low for both types of stone samples. In addition, the plate count method showed low bacterial and fungal counts on all of the samples. This revealed that microbial activity did not play an important role in the stone deterioration process on the MNMs, although different lichen species were frequently observed on both the sandstones and the limestones. Hence, further investigation must be undertaken for determination of their long-term behavior and effects on the stones of the MNMs. On the other hand, the results of the FDA hydrolysis and plate count methods showed correlation. Lower bacterial counts were observed when lower enzymatic activity was observed in the stone samples, and likewise, higher bacterial counts were observed when higher enzymatic activity was observed. Consequently, the application of the FDA hydrolysis method was determined to be reliable for the estimation of total microbial activity on historical stones. The method had obvious advantages in terms of its rapid measurement rate and sensitivity, even on small samples. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 3300 KiB  
Article
The Study of Historical Indoor Microclimate (HIM) to Contribute towards Heritage Buildings Preservation
by Kristian Fabbri, Marco Pretelli and Anna Bonora
Heritage 2019, 2(3), 2287-2297; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/heritage2030140 - 02 Aug 2019
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3377
Abstract
Knowledge of building techniques, materials and their decay is nowadays quite vast, as well as on the solutions and methodologies of a restoration project, which depends on the goal of the restoration itself. Even the choices on the new usage of historic buildings [...] Read more.
Knowledge of building techniques, materials and their decay is nowadays quite vast, as well as on the solutions and methodologies of a restoration project, which depends on the goal of the restoration itself. Even the choices on the new usage of historic buildings are often well considered. In the last few years, we have conducted some monitoring campaigns to obtain data related to four distinct buildings, differing in construction times, typology, location, current and historical uses. What has been discovered is that these buildings appear to be able to guarantee historical microclimates surprisingly overlapping to the parameters nowadays considered appropriate to conserve them and the historical patrimony they contain. In this article we show some explanatory results of four case studies from our research. The monitoring control, moreover, allowed us to develop the analysis further, from survey to virtual simulation. In this way it was possible to verify the effects of minimal variations in the architectural characteristics, such as opening or closing a window, covering an open yard, or else removing a cover, reducing the source of light etc. All of these managerial and architectural interventions have a significant effect on the indoor environment of buildings and can improve the conservation status of architecture, sometimes to such an extent that more costly and invasive restorations become unnecessary. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

20 pages, 8199 KiB  
Article
Towards the Preservation and Dissemination of Historical Silk Weaving Techniques in the Digital Era
by Mar Gaitán, Ester Alba, Arabella León, Manolo Pérez, Javier Sevilla and Cristina Portalés
Heritage 2019, 2(3), 1892-1911; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/heritage2030115 - 10 Jul 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 6588
Abstract
Historical weaving techniques have evolved in time and space giving as result more or less fabrics with different aesthetical characteristics. These techniques were transferred along the main silk production centers, thanks to the European Silk Road and creating a common European Frame on [...] Read more.
Historical weaving techniques have evolved in time and space giving as result more or less fabrics with different aesthetical characteristics. These techniques were transferred along the main silk production centers, thanks to the European Silk Road and creating a common European Frame on themes and techniques. These had made it complicated to determine whether a fabric corresponds to one century or another. Moreover, in order to understand their creation, it is necessary to determine the number of weaves and interlacements that each textile has, therefore, mathematical models can be extracted from these layers. In this sense, three dimensional (3D) virtual representations of the internal structure of textiles are of interest for a variety of purposes related to fashion, industry, education or other areas. The aim of this paper is to propose a mathematical modelling of historical weaving techniques by means of matrices in order to be easily mapped to a virtual 3D representation. The work focuses on historical silk textiles, ranging from the 15th to the 19th centuries. We also propose a computer vision-based strategy to extract relevant information from digital imagery, by considering different types of images (textiles, technical drawings and macro images). The work here presented has been carried out in the scope of the SILKNOW project, which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 769504. The results shown in the paper are preliminary and will be improved in the scope of the project. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop