STUDIES OF CONSERVATION OF GEOLOGICAL MATERIALS USED IN CULTURAL HERITAGE

Abstract

The diversity of geological materials used in cultural heritage is great. This project will cover, among these materials, rocks and mortar/pictorial layer, and there will be two research lines. These issues have already been addressed in previous projects funded by FAPESP and today with the post-graduate students and external collaborators it is feasible to carry out research on both subjects. The city of São Paulo has several buildings and monuments made of rocks, such as Itaquera Granite, Mauá Grey Granite, Piracaia Black Granite, Itupeva Pink Granite and Itararé Sandstone. One of the lines of this project is to continue and deepen the study of methodologies and diagnosis of the conservation state of architectural surfaces and advance the understanding of deterioration mechanisms based on petrographic studies, physical and/or chemistry characterization, modeling of evolution through realization of accelerated weathering tests and using, wherever possible, non-destructive methods (ultrasound, spectrophotometry, sclerometry, infrared thermography). Treatment of rocks, such as, consolidant application is also considered. Mortar/pictorial layer is the other line of this project. In this case, the objective is to continue and deepen the studies developed in painter Fulvio Pennacchi's frescoes, seeking to implement methodologies to identify execution method variations of his works, in addition to characterize the mortar and identify the mineral pigments. These studies aim to contribute to improve the diagnostic capabilities of the conservation state of São Paulo's heritage and provide knowledge that can assist in possible future conservation and restoration projects. (AU)