Protocol for the monitoring of environmental variables that affect the defensive heritage of tapial: A case study of the wall of the Alcazaba Cadima. Granada, Spain

Abstract

The extent of deterioration of built heritage largely depends on the degree to which it is exposed to the climatic and environmental conditions in its immediate environment. Structured knowledge regarding these conditions demands that diagnostic protocols are designed on the basis of monitoring, thus enabling an assessment of how the asset´s state of conservation is affected by the environmental conditions. This paper presents an environmental and surface test protocol (Temperature and Humidity) applied to different sections of the Zirí Wall located in the city of Granada. The main objective is to identify, analyse and characterise the relationship between changes to the cultural asset´s state of preservation and the environmental variables in its immediate microclimate. To do this, a methodology has been designed which uses a network of sensors distributed according to the following factors: Orientation, construction system, degree of deterioration, degree of exposure and altitude. In order to specifically locate them, processes which impede changes to the dynamic environmental variables affected by direct solar radiation have also been taken into account. It is important to note that the technique employed to obtain the environmental temperature is that of generating a continuous movement of air by natural convection. The underlying structure of this model, on the basis of differential equations, allows us to predict the behaviour of structures over time. By so doing, effective and efficient preventive action measures can be adopted, which are additionally more sustainable when considering the heritage values of the cultural asset. We propose that this proven strategy, which takes the specific microclimate into account, could be extrapolated to other affected cases. © 2020, University of Cantabria - Building Technology R&D Group. All rights reserved.