This course combines causes and patterns of decay, which have been observed on construction materials of monuments and architectural surfaces; the course aims at studying the influence of the environmental parameters and the intrinsic properties of the materials in the whole condition of the monument and the architectural surface. The students first understand the concepts of compatibility and resilience to weathering of building materials, in order to be able to direct both the maintenance and restoration of buildings in the future, as well as to prevent buildings and monuments from damage. Particular attention is also paid to the use of eco-friendly materials, such as e.g. lime and hydraulic lime, and their contribution to the sustainability and reduction of energy consumption of structures.
The course develops an atlas, which is a recording tool with decay patterns based on macroscopic observation in order to better document the effect of the weathering on the materials and to correlate it with the main damage parameters, extrinsic and/or intrinsic. The course acts as complementary with courses dealing with the restoration of historic buildings, focusing on the study of the materials, their decay and corrosion, and methods of conservation.