Condition assessment for building stone conservation: a staging system approach

Warke, Patricia; Curran, John; Turkington, Alice V.; Smith, Bernard

doi:10.1016/s0360-1323(03)00085-4

Cited by 56 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 6 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…These include areas or patches of different cement type, or moisture content, areas of fresh/different brick, block or stone surrounded by weathered surfaces, changes in mortar type and freshness. For walls or similar that are undergoing weathering (outdoors, damp basements), the observations of a specialist in stone weathering are invaluable, as such scientists can produce colour-coded maps of stone type and weathering [20] that are very helpful in defining a search. Such locations must be photographed in the standard way for crime scene photography.…”

Section: Imagerymentioning

confidence: 99%

Search protocols for hidden forensic objects beneath floors and within walls

Ruffell¹,

Pringle²,

Forbes³

2014

Forensic Science International

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The burial of objects (human remains, explosives, weapons) below or behind concrete, brick, plaster or tiling may be associated with serious crime and are difficult locations to search. These are quite common forensic search scenarios but little has been published on them to-date. Most documented discoveries are accidental or from suspect/witness testimony. The problem in locating such hidden objects means a random, or chance-based approach is not advisable. A preliminary strategy is presented here, based on previous studies, augmented by primary research where new technology or applications are required. This blend allows a rudimentary search workflow, from remote desktop study, to non-destructive investigation through to recommendations as to how the above may inform excavation. Published case studies on the search for human remains demonstrate the problems encountered when trying to find and recover sealed-in and sealed-over locations. Established methods include desktop study, photography, geophysics and search dogs: these are integrated with new technology (LiDAR and laser scanning; photographic rectification; close-quarter aerial imagery; ground-penetrating radar on walls and gamma-ray/neutron activation radiography) to propose this possible search strategy.3

show abstract

Section: Imagerymentioning

confidence: 99%

Search protocols for hidden forensic objects beneath floors and within walls

Ruffell¹,

Pringle²,

Forbes³

2014

Forensic Science International

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Weathering as a process leading to both functional and aesthetical loss of the original value of the stone (Smith & Přikryl 2007) is often manifested by numerous so-called weathering phenomena that have been studied in detail during the last few decades both from the point of view of the mechanisms of formation and the methodology of assessment (e.g. Warke et al 2003). Monuments represent highly prized cultural objects that do not allow detailed study and sufficient sampling in most cases; the study of weathering processes on natural objects therefore presents a welcome alternative (see e.g.…”

Section: Property Evaluationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural stones for monuments: their availability for restoration and evaluation

Přikryl

Török

2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper represents the introduction to the volume focused on the various aspects of natural stone research. From the topic issues studied recently, four major aspects are covered:(1) availability of certain stone types for monuments, (2) strategies aiming to strengthen our knowledge of past resources through the establishment of natural stone databases and inventories, (3) evaluation of natural stone properties and assessment of the compatibility of repair stones, and (4) decay studies of natural stone on monuments and on natural exposures. This paper also aims to highlight the importance of the use of local stone resources, a practice that has seriously declined during the 20th century in most of the industrialized countries. The availability of natural stone from monuments is also discussed in terms of sandstones and travertine in the Czech Republic and Hungary as a typical example.

show abstract

“…The importance of condition assessment has been long understood within the medical profession, especially in the treatment of cancer, where 'patient diagnosis and assessment schemes are used as a means of conveying clinical information in an unambiguous way' (Warke et al 2003(Warke et al , p. 1114. One of the most widely used medical classification schemes is the TNM (Tumours, Nodes and Metastases) Staging System for cancer (Hermanek & Sobin 1987), which, because of its holistic approach, recognizes that many factors influence the disease process and that these must be considered before arriving at a condition assessment (Warke et al 2003).…”

Section: Formalizing Condition Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One of the most widely used medical classification schemes is the TNM (Tumours, Nodes and Metastases) Staging System for cancer (Hermanek & Sobin 1987), which, because of its holistic approach, recognizes that many factors influence the disease process and that these must be considered before arriving at a condition assessment (Warke et al 2003). In their paper, Warke and her colleagues explored in detail the relevance of the internationally recognized TNM Staging System as a conceptual basis for the condition assessment of buildings and propose an equivalent scheme for buildings using Unit, Area and Spread.…”

Section: Formalizing Condition Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diagnosing decay: the value of medical analogy in understanding the weathering of building stones

Smith

Přikryl

2007

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper represents the first element of the introduction to this volume, and as such investigates its principal underlying rationale; namely the importance of accurate diagnosis of stone decay in the formulation of effective conservation strategies. It does this by exploring ways in which perceived similarities between stone decay and human disease have influenced attitudes towards conservation, and how refinements within medical diagnostic strategies can inform future condition assessments of building stones. In doing so, it identifies the importance of looking beyond obvious symptoms to the isolation of the fundamental causes of decay and the factors that control them. These controls are strongly conditioned by accumulated stresses within the stonework. In many buildings these are the product of a complex history involving exposure to a variety of environmental conditions and successive human intervention. Only by understanding these memory effects is it possible to explain current decay phenomena, attempt any prediction of future behaviour or recommend appropriate intervention. The concept of appropriateness is further developed through an examination of the TNM (Tumours, Nodes and Metastases) Staging System for cancer diagnosis. This holistic scheme embodies a progressive approach to diagnosis that begins with a clinical assessment based on how the patient presents, and leads on to more detailed pathological investigations involving sampling, testing and analysis. The scheme also requires an assessment of the certainty of the diagnosis and proposed treatments must be viewed in terms of a cost benefit analysis. A modified version of this staging system has already been developed for use in the physical assessment of buildings. It is suggested that the next stage in its development, and that of any other condition assessment procedure that deals solely with the fabric of a building, is the inclusion of a value-based appraisal of its cultural significance.The decay of building stones is often compared to the effects of an illness -most commonly a cancer -undermining the health of a building and eventually leading to its demise. This analogy has the value of all anthropomorphic comparisons, in that it allows the lay observer to place complex issues within a conceptual framework that relates to their own experience. It also carries with it an assumption that stone ages and has a lifespan that can be drastically shortened by illness. Obviously, there are dangers in pursuing this strategy too far and many risks in imbuing inanimate objects with the capability and desire to shape their own future. However, there remain potentially rewarding avenues along which the medical analogy can be followed that stop short of an invocation of human motivations behind the operation of stone decay systems. Most important is the opportunity it provides for exploring and exploiting underlying strategies developed for the characterization, classification and treatment of disease. The most obvious route is through the ad...

show abstract

Condition assessment for building stone conservation: a staging system approach

Cited by 56 publications

References 6 publications

Search protocols for hidden forensic objects beneath floors and within walls

Search protocols for hidden forensic objects beneath floors and within walls

Natural stones for monuments: their availability for restoration and evaluation

Diagnosing decay: the value of medical analogy in understanding the weathering of building stones

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About