DB-HERITAGE - Data on construction materials history

Abstract

Recommendations on the intervention plans, materials, and techniques for the conservation and restoration of built heritage should be based on sound knowledge of both heritage and its constituent materials conservation condition. Accordingly, data on built heritage and building materials and their history is essential for improving knowledge on ancient materials and techniques, for materials performance modelling benchmarking and related development, and for further supporting the decision-making process for the conservation/restoration works. Nevertheless, of the latest developments and increased awareness, basic information on physical, chemical, and mechanical characterisation of construction materials is not always accessible or findable. To prevent these shortcomings, DB-HERITAGE system (http://dbheritage.lnec.pt/) provides physical and digital repositories for archiving data on the history, properties and performance of architectural and archeologic heritage and related building materials. This paper displays examples of samples and the related data from historic building materials, including wrought iron, protection coating and mortars, archived at DBHERITAGE, highlighting their scientific, educational, and historical values.