- PROJECT CODE: J7-9404 (C)
- PROJECT TITLE: Protection of bronze monuments in the changing environment
- PROJECT TEAM: Jakub Sandak, PhD (leader for InnoRenew CoE), Miklós Krész, Anna Sandak, Erwin M. Schau, Vaclav Sebera, Vesna Starman
- PERIOD: 01.07.2018 – 30.06.2021
- FTE: 0.47 FTE for InnoRenew CoE in 2020
- FINANCING: Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS)
- PROJECT COORDINATOR: Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia (Slovenia)
- PARTNERS: InnoRenew CoE (Slovenia); Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute (Slovenia)
The project aims to a holistic approach in the care for bronze cultural heritage objects. The progress beyond the state-of-the-art will therefore bring original results in scientific as well as social aspects, such as advanced and effective monitoring systems, new databases, correlations of corrosion development in the changing climate, effective and tailored protection systems for outdoor bronze objects, advanced ICT tools, and new social mechanisms in order to include society in the care of cultural heritage. Each of these results will impact the development of science. The new protective systems will greatly influence the development of restoration/conservation and preventive conservation scientific fields, as they will be tailored according to the composition of the objects, including the presence of patinas, as well as to their exposure in the specific polluted environment. The proposed tailored protection systems for outdoor bronze objects against environmental factors in different climatic conditions is not described in either scientific nor technical literature, which increases the importance and novelty of the results of the project. The results will be patentable and publishable in scientific high-impact journals. Furthermore, the new guidelines for the use of the developed protection coatings will influence conservation/restoration, conservation science, and preventive conservation fields. All these will fundamentally influence the development of the technical art history field.
InnoRenew CoE project activities
To develop a better understanding of the corrosion process of bronze monuments exposed to external weather conditions by developing a dose-response model of degradation. The set of data required will be collected during the experimental campaign, where four monuments will be monitored by a specially designed set of sensors. The second objective is to develop IT tools supporting engagement of the public to bronze monument deterioration by reporting any damage observed. This will allow better protection of monuments and also an understanding of visitor preferences and behaviours.
