EPSRC Reference: |
GR/S18359/01 |
Title: |
Engineering Historic Futures: Adapting Historic Environments to Moisture-Related Climate Change |
Principal Investigator: |
Cassar, Professor M |
Other Investigators: |
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Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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Project Partners: |
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Department: |
Bartlett Sch of Graduate Studies |
Organisation: |
UCL |
Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
Starts: |
03 April 2003 |
Ends: |
02 October 2006 |
Value (£): |
410,482
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EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
Civil Engineering Materials |
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EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
Construction |
Technical Consultancy |
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Related Grants: |
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Panel History: |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
An increasing number of historic buildings and archaeological sites are being flooded either through river or sea flooding or as a result of increase rainfall, inadequate roof drainage and poor surface water management. Also, increased winter rainfall and storminess, particularly in exposed wes areas is resulting in an increase in water saturated building fabrics. Current conservation advice for the drying out of historic buildings is that this process should be carried out slowly to avoid hygrothermal stresses in the building fabric. However, there is increasing pressure from owners and insurers to dry out buildings rapidly so that they can be quickly bought back into use and to restore conditions unfavourable to the recurrence of w etc. The technology to dry rapidly is now available but it needs evaluation for historic buildings to determine resulting stresses in the fabric and wh rapid drying leads to irreversible distortions in materials, catastrophic failure or cryptocrystallisation within masonry. These will be compared to the extent of related damage such as salt efflorescence, that occurs from moisture permeating the fabric due to slow drying. Engineering Historic R will develop appropriate solutions to the impact of climate change by: working with stakeholders to identifying key problems in a number of case study sites, monitoring climate impact, measuring (in the laboratory and on site) and modelling the hygrothermal performance of historic fabrics, and to innovative strategies in the field.
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Key Findings |
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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Impacts |
Description |
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Summary |
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Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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Project URL: |
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Further Information: |
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Organisation Website: |
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