From 7.10 to 9.10 2024, the IEEE International Conference on Metrology for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage will take place at the University of Malta, Valletta Campus.

This event will host the Special Session 12 titled “Building Materials and Decay Assessment for On-Land and Underwater Cultural Heritage” organized by Michela Ricca, a researcher at the Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences (DiBEST), University of Calabria (UNICAL), Natalia Rovella, a researcher at the National Research Council – Institute for Membrane Technology (CNR – ITM) and Luciana Randazzo, a researcher at the Department of Earth and Marine Sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo.

The Special Session 12 will be partially supported by the TECTONIC project and the key topics will be:

• Raw materials characterization of Cultural Heritage (CH);
• Weathering and decay processes assessment;
• Diagnosis and conservation strategies in CH;
• Innovative materials, tools and methods for the characterization of natural and artificial stone materials;
• Newly developments in restoration knowledge: nanotechnology, biotechnology and green conservation materials;
• New tools and methods for mapping damage forms.

The session aims to collect research focused on the study of cultural heritage, from on-land and underwater historical/archaeological sites, using a multi-analytical approach. In particular, the main purpose is to highlight the use of traditional methodologies as well as cutting-edge methods to adequately characterize materials from the point of view of raw materials, minero-petrographic and geochemical properties, also assessing their state of conservation and the environmental impact. The assessment of the state of conservation of building materials can be supported by emerging case studies with topics on new strategies, tools and materials for restoration.

The session also encourages speeches among experts from different backgrounds working on Cultural Heritage issues, such as biologists, geologists, chemists, engineering, art historian, restorers and conservation scientists.