Structural Monitoring of a Large Archaeological Wooden Structure in Real Time, Post PEG Treatment

Abstract

Large archaeological wooden structures are potentially at risk of structural failure through deformation and cracking over time if they are left untreated and their structural health is not maintained. This could be in part due to, for example, the shrinkage of waterlogged wood as it dries, or time-dependent creep processes. These dimensional changes are accompanied by associated stresses. However, there are few studies analysing the movement of large wooden structures in real time as they dry, particularly after their conservation treatment. This paper follows the structural monitoring of the Mary Rose from after the conservation treatment, where it was sprayed with polyethylene glycol, through to the ship’s air-drying process and beyond to assess the effects that drying has had on the displacement of the timbers. A laser-based target system was used to collect displacement data between 2013 and 2020 and the data showed a significant slowing of displacement as the drying reached an equilibrium.

Reactivity of Waterlogged Archeological Elm Wood with Organosilicon Compounds Applied as Wood Consolidants: 2D 1H–13C Solution-State NMR Studies

“…The oldest known method for the conservation of waterlogged wooden artifacts dates back to the mid-1800s, when hot solutions of alum salts (KAl(SO 4 ) 2 ·12H 2 O) were used for this purpose for the first time [ 1 , 2 ]. More recent standard conservation procedures employ mainly polyethylene glycols of different molecular weights and various sugars [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. However, since none of these methods has been entirely satisfying and some of them, such as alum and PEG treatment, turned out to be even detrimental to wooden artifacts in the long term [ 1 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ], the search for more reliable solutions continues.…”