The National Monument to Francesco Baracca in Lugo di Romagna (Ravenna, Italy): Materials, techniques and conservation aspects

• Main Authors: Sara Fiorentino, Gian Carlo Grillini, Mariangela Vandini
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2015-12-01
• Series: Case Studies in Construction Materials
• Subjects: Architectural heritage; Stone conservation; Stone surface finishing; Travertine; Titanium dioxide; RLM; SEM-EDS; VIS-RS; micro-FTIR; XRD; Rationalism
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214509515300024
• ISSN: 2214-5095

The results of scientific analyses performed on the travertine parts of the National Monument to Francesco Baracca in Lugo di Romagna (Ravenna, Italy) are reported and discussed. The aim of the research is an in-depth knowledge of the constituent material in view of technological and conservation aspects, to support the first significant restoration work (held in 2014) concerning the Monument created by the artist Domenico Rambelli in 1936, a masterpiece of monumental Italian twentieth century architecture. RLM, SEM/EDS, XRD and micro-FTIR analyses were carried out on micro-samples to characterize the different original surface finishing and the degradation phenomena. VIS-RS, RLM and SEM/EDS investigations were also performed to evaluate the application of a nanoparticle titanium dioxide—based coating on the stone surfaces.