CONS558 LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE I

Course Objectives

By the end of the course,:

• the students will recognize laboratory and in situ tests which give information about the properties and behaviour of historic building materials in relation to the diagnosis of active decay factors
• the students will apply some basic laboratory and in-situ tests for the diagnosis of active decay factors in the context of a conservation research project.
• the students will assemble the results of laboratory study to formulate the materials characteristics, main problems of the structure and extent of damage.

Course Content

The use of laboratory facilities, in situ tests and measurements which will lead to an understanding of properties and behavior of traditional building materials. Diagnosis of active decay factors in the context of a conservation research project.

Course Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course the successful students are expected to:

• practice the sampling of building materials and basic laboratory tests on the performance characteristics of historic building materials: basic physical, physicomechanical properties and raw materials composition;
• practice some basic in-situ and laboratory non-destructive tests on the degree and extent of deterioration in historic materials and structure;
• define basic in-situ and laboratory tests to determine the main decay factors,
• report the results of laboratory study for the definition of compatibility and durability specifications of repair materials.