| CODE | BLH5513 | |||||||||
| TITLE | Causes and Processes of Deterioration 2: Stone | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Conservation and Built Heritage | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit focuses on the deterioration of the material constituents of historic stone surfaces / artefacts. The degradation of different kinds of lithotypes will be studied within the context of the complex site / object, including deterioration factors affecting the building / site / archaeological site / context in which the artefact is stored. Deterioration problems will be tackled starting from the identification of deterioration phenomena, to the identification of the causes of deterioration (i.e. anthropic and environmental causes of deterioration, causes inherent to the materials and techniques used to produce these decorations). The processes and mechanisms of deterioration will be discussed. The condition assessment specific to historic stone surfaces / artefacts will be explained in depth. Case studies will be presented and discussed. This unit will concentrate on (but will be not limited to) deterioration of different lithotypes, salts and salt cycles, biodeterioration, deterioration induced by pollution such as black crusts, and will include a in-depth analysis of topics seen in the unit 'Causes and Processes of Deterioration 1' with a focus on stone, with the presentation of specific case studies. Study-unit Aims: - Provide knowledge of the deterioration of materials used for the manufacture of historic stone artefacts / stone surfaces; - Provide broad-based information for the study of the products of the deterioration of materials used for the manufacture of historic stone artefacts / stone surfaces; - Achieve an understanding of deterioration causes, effects and mechanisms specific to stone. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Describe the deterioration mechanisms of materials used to manufacture historic stone artefacts / stone surfaces and specific to them with an in depth understanding of the processes; - Explain the degradation of such materials in terms of the chemistry and physics involved differentiating them, if the case, from those of other works of art; - Critically discuss how the deterioration of such materials in historic stone artefacts / stone surfaces affects the overall deterioration of the building / site / object. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Recognise deterioration phenomena and patterns in a specific case study relating them to what affects historic stone artefacts / stone surfaces; - Plan the necessary steps to investigate and identify deterioration mechanisms specific to stone artefacts / stone surfaces; - Plan conservation measures (preventive or remedial) according to the type of deterioration encountered in a specific case study, looking at the specific stone artefacts / stone surfaces but also at the museum / building / site as a whole, with a holistic approach. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Essential readings: - Ashurst J. and Dimes, F. G. 1990. Conservation of Building and Decorative Stone. Butterworth-Heinemann - Siegesmund S and Snethlage R (eds) Stone in Architecture: Properties, Durability. (4th ed) 2011. Springer - Cassar J., 2002. "Deterioration of the Globigerina Limestone of the Maltese Islands." In: Siegesmund, S., Weiss, T. and Vollbrecht A. Natural Stone, Weathering Phenomena, Conservation Strategies and Case Studies. Geological Society, London. Special Publications, 205, pp. 33-49 - Arnold, A., & Zehnder, K. (1987). Monitoring wall paintings affected by soluble salts (pp. 103-135). Marina Del Rey: Getty Conservation Institute. (Available on https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Konrad-Zehnder/publication/285316037_Monitoring_wall_paintings_affected_by_soluble_salts/links/57d2bd9d08ae5f03b48ccc3d/Monitoring-wall-paintings-affected-by-soluble-salts.pdf) - Charola, A. E., & Bläuer, C. (2015). Salts in masonry: an overview of the problem. Restoration of Buildings and Monuments, 21(4-6), 119-135. (Available at https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/28009/Charola&Bl%C3%83%C2%A4uer%20%20Salts%20in%20Masonry%20RBM%202015.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y) - Warscheid, Th Braams, J. 2001 Biodeterioration of stone: a review. Further readings: - Bläuer, C., & Rousset, B. (2014, October). Salt sources revisited. In 3rd Int, Conf. Salt weathering of buildings and stone statues. Brussels: KIK-IRPA (pp. 305-18). (Available at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Christine-Blaeuer/publication/267438471_Salt_sources_revisited/links/55815c4308ae47061e5fa005/Salt-sources-revisited.pdf) - Cassar J. 2004. “Composition and property data of Malta’s building stone for the construction of a database.” In: Architectural and sculptural stone in cultural landscape. Prikryl, R., and Siegl, P. (eds) pp. 11-28 - Cassar, J., Winter, M.G., Marker, B.R., Walton, N.R.G., Entwisle, D.C. & Bromhead, E. N. and Smith, J. W. N. (eds) 2014, SP391 Stone in Historic Buildings: Characterization and Performance, Geological Society, London - ICOMOS-ISCS Illustrated glossary on stone deterioration patterns. 2008. English-French version. (Available as pdf at http://www.icomos.org/publications/monuments_and_sites/15/pdf/Monuments_and_Sites_15_ISCS_Glossary_Stone.pdf) |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-Requisite Study-unit: BLH5506 | |||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Fieldwork | |||||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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