Description of the project
Project goals
The project aims at achieving the following goals:
- To develop new solutions for the protection of cultural heritage against natural hazards (e.g., earthquakes, settlements, floods) that improve the safety of people and preserve monuments, thanks to the use of high performance materials that are compatible with the principles of restoration and conservation applied according to suitable design methods.
- To characterize compatible strengthening systems that ensure mechanical effectiveness and durability thanks to the close relationship established with industrial partners, which will also lead to a strong increase of their competitiveness.
- To assess the effectiveness of composite systems for applications to cultural heritage
- To promote the knowledge transfer from the product development stage to the professional practice through field tests.
- To enhance the scientific cooperation between Roma Tre University and the University of Miami, and to achieve together an improved knowledge on the structural performances of mortar-based composites; to give researchers of the two institutions the opportunity to gain an outstanding experience and to learn new skills on the most up-to-date testing facilities and techniques, such as the optical contactless Digital Image Correlation (DIC).
- To draft guidelines for the qualification, installation, design and control of mortar-based reinforcements, starting from existing US standards AC434 and ACI459, to ensure the effectiveness of the intervention and minimize the impact on the construction.
- To contribute to current knowledge and enhance interaction between researchers, industrial partners, authorities, contractors, engineers and stakeholders, promoting a more conscious approach to the protection of cultural heritage.
Expected outcomes
The following benefits are expected:
- The proposal of sustainable strategies for strengthening monuments and historic buildings in full compliance with the principles of conservation will contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage against natural hazards, with societal and cultural benefits of public utility.
- The development of effective and durable strengthening systems with mortar-based composites will provide direct industrial positive impacts in terms of economic advantages and increase of competitiveness in a strategic field for Italy.
- The drafting of qualification and design guidelines will improve the current practice and increase the safety of people and of historic constructions, avoiding the indiscriminate use of invasive techniques that would cause loss of cultural heritage.
- The experience of international cooperation will enhance the skills of young researchers and improve the quality of the scientific activities carried out during the project and after its conclusion. Advanced techniques for experimental testing that make use of the innovative instrumentations and cutting-edge facilities will be shared and exploited in research laboratories in Italy and in the US.
- PhD students will take part to exchange programs and will benefit of an enhanced multi-lateral cooperation in high level scientific education.
- The dissemination of results through special session in the international conferences as well as through existing funded research networks (Rilem TC 250-CSM, COST TU1207) will contribute to the current knowledge on the strengthening of historic structures with composites and promote future research actions and cooperation initiatives.