Integration of ground-penetrating radar, ultrasonic tests and infrared thermography for the analysis of a precious medieval rose window

摘要

The integration of high-resolution, non-invasive geophysical techniques(such as ground-penetrating radar or GPR) with emerging sensing techniques(acoustics, thermography) can complement limited destructive tests toprovide a suitable methodology for a multi-scale assessment of the state ofpreservation, material and construction components of monuments. This paperpresents the results of the application of GPR, infrared thermography (IRT)and ultrasonic tests to the 13th century rose window of Troia Cathedral(Apulia, Italy), affected by widespread decay and instability problemscaused by the 1731 earthquake and reactivated by recent seismic activity.This integrated approach provided a wide amount of complementary informationat different scales, ranging from the sub-centimetre size of the metallicjoints between the various architectural elements, narrow fractures and thinmortar fillings, up to the sub-metre scale of the internal masonry structureof the circular ashlar curb linking the rose window to the façade, whichwas essential to understand the original building technique and to design aneffective restoration strategy.