Study of an “Artefact” of the Castilla Canal: Reconstruction of the Missing Machinery

Abstract

This work aims to apply a systematic methodology to the analysis and graphical recovery of the “artefact” of the first lock of the Canal de Castilla (“the forge of Alar del Rey”) located in the Canal de Castilla as it passes through the province of Palencia (Spain). The canal, a great engineering work that began in the 18th century, was declared an asset of cultural interest (BIC, for its acronym in Spanish) in 1991 and was included in the National Plan for Industrial Heritage. To analyze and to obtain graphic reconstruction proposals, six main activities were developed, following three phases (study of primary and complementary technological and historical sources, fieldwork, and digital reconstruction). The reconstruction proposals were evaluated using three criteria: artefact data, the number of similar artefacts, and the performance. The weights of these three criteria were obtained using the Best-Worst Method (BWM), and the reconstruction proposals were classified using the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) under uncertain conditions. AutoCAD was used to obtain detailed artefact geometric documentation (plans and detail drawings of each element). The work carried out on the artefact has allowed the reconstruction of the missing machinery and its factory, establishing a proposal consistent with the technological solutions of the end of the eighteenth century as well as with the ironworks studied and with the documentary sources consulted, recovering the memory of an artefact that is about to be lost.

Systematic Design of Ancient Machines’ Models: Leonardo da Vinci’s Glider

“…Accordingly, the method proposed here should be intended as a first attempt to provide potential support for scholars or museum staff involved in similar works, as well as a starting point for further research about the systematic interpretation and design of machines from ancient documents. Indeed, the need for systematic approaches and the related benefits for technological heritage studies are increasingly evident (e.g., [37,38]). Nevertheless, as usual in design science and practice, several different approaches can be used, adapted or invented from scratch in order to support the reconstruction of ancient devices.…”

Revitalizing the Canal de Castilla: A Community Approach to Sustainable Hydropower Assessed through Fuzzy Logic

“…These constructions enrich the importance of the historical and cultural heritage, all of which have different degrees of regulatory protection. Within these elements, the locks particularly stand out for their key application in the Canal of Castilla due to their regulation of the water level, allowing navigability [3].…”