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Heritage
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Risk Analysis and Preservation Strategies of Architectural Heritage
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Risk Analysis and Preservation Strategies of Architectural Heritage

A special issue of Heritage (ISSN 2571-9408).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 18 April 2025 | Viewed by 3976

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Maria Laura Santarelli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Materials Environmental Engineering, University of Rome Sapienza, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Interests: characterization techniques; polymer science; cement and concrete; photocatalytic materials; nanomaterials; protective coatings
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The conservation of architectural heritage has long been an element of research and study in various humanistic and scientific sectors, but in recent years the importance of understanding the connection between conservation and climate change has determined the importance of detailing the numerous risks to which an asset culture is exposed and how to assess their impact and counter them with a preventive conservation assessment. It is essential to determine and recognize the many risks, including natural disasters, urbanization, climate change and human impact. Risk analysis plays a vital role in understanding potential threats to architectural heritage, enabling the development of effective conservation strategies. This Special issue aims to explore the methodologies and approaches used in risk analysis for the architectural heritage and examine the various conservation strategies employed to mitigate the identified risks.

Point that could be addressed could be risk analysis, discussing the collection and analysis of data relating to architectural heritage sites. It emphasizes the importance of multidisciplinary approaches, combining architectural, historical and engineering skills, together with geographical and climatic factors, to assess risks accurately. Various risk assessment techniques and methodologies, such as vulnerability mapping, hazard identification and scenario-based modeling, may be considered, providing insights into identifying and prioritizing risks.

Furthermore, it will be possible to deepen the conservation strategies used to safeguard the architectural heritage. Among these, you will be able to explore a range of preventive, mitigating and reactive measures that can be used to minimize the impact of the identified risks. These strategies include, but are not limited to, structural strengthening, the use of advanced monitoring systems, adaptive reuse, and community engagement. The role of technology, such as remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS) and building information modeling (BIM), in supporting risk management and conservation efforts may be discussed. Furthermore, the issues of a conservative approach with innovative materials can be taken into consideration with particular attention to the sustainability of the conservative approach with systems that take into consideration the health of the workers and the low environmental impact of the suggested treatments, within the parameters of Green Chemistry and Green Engineering.

Furthermore, it underlines the importance of integrated management plans that consider both tangible and intangible aspects of the built heritage and the importance of collaboration between stakeholders, including government bodies, heritage organisations, local communities and experts, in implementing of conservation strategies. In addition, the document may address the ethical dimensions of risk analysis and conservation, emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive and sustainable approaches that balance conservation goals with contemporary needs.

Overall, the purpose of this special issue is to provide a comprehensive overview of risk analysis and conservation strategies for architectural heritage. By examining the methodologies and techniques used in risk assessment and exploring different conservation approaches, it aims to contribute to knowledge and offer insights to professionals, managers and researchers working for the sustainable preservation of architectural heritage.

Dr. Maria Laura Santarelli
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Heritage is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • risk analysis
  • conservation
  • remote sensing
  • geographic information systems (GIS)
  • building information modeling (BIM)
  • architectural heritage
  • restoration solution

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

33 pages, 9526 KiB  
Article
Dual Approach to Large-Scale Seismic Vulnerability Assessment of Churches Through Representative Archetypes
by Giorgia Cianchino, Maria Giovanna Masciotta, Gianfranco De Matteis and Giuseppe Brando
Heritage 2024, 7(12), 6998-7030; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7120324 - 10 Dec 2024
Viewed by 323
Abstract
In this paper, the seismic vulnerability of churches is assessed using different methods characterized by different levels of complexity depending on the accuracy of the results to be achieved. Specifically, we compare the two main types of methodologies applied in the literature, namely, [...] Read more.
In this paper, the seismic vulnerability of churches is assessed using different methods characterized by different levels of complexity depending on the accuracy of the results to be achieved. Specifically, we compare the two main types of methodologies applied in the literature, namely, empirical and analytical methods. Empirical methods assess seismic vulnerability based on engineering judgements. In this study, these evaluations were carried out through an automatic tool, the MACHRO form, which was introduced in the past by the authors with the purpose of making evaluations as objective as possible. Analytical methods evaluate the vulnerability of a stock of churches through linear and nonlinear kinematic analyses performed for the most vulnerable macro-elements, which are treated by means of mechanical models. When the number of churches in the stock is huge, this type of evaluation might prove unfeasible. For this reason, churches are grouped into a manageable number of archetypes in order to be analyzed. The above-described methodologies were applied to a relevant number of churches, aiming to appraise discrepancies in terms of results and highlight advantages and drawbacks of their application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk Analysis and Preservation Strategies of Architectural Heritage)
29 pages, 1194 KiB  
Article
A Framework for a Hazard Taxonomy to Support Risk Assessment of Tangible Outdoor Heritage
by Alessandra Battisti, Angelo Figliola and Maria Laura Santarelli
Heritage 2024, 7(6), 2984-3012; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7060140 - 4 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1121
Abstract
The variety of hazards with a potential impact on cultural heritage requires a multidisciplinary approach and a preliminary overview of the existing methods for risk assessment in order to define a comprehensive hazard taxonomy. The starting point of the research thus aims to [...] Read more.
The variety of hazards with a potential impact on cultural heritage requires a multidisciplinary approach and a preliminary overview of the existing methods for risk assessment in order to define a comprehensive hazard taxonomy. The starting point of the research thus aims to build a multidisciplinary framework to support the risk assessment process according to the classification of cultural heritage based on the harmonization of European vocabularies’ definitions and protocols. To collect the necessary information, such as hazard classification, indicators, indices and thresholds, a series of methodologies was adopted: analysis of the main international protocols and the EU Research projects related to risk assessment in cultural heritage, expert-based knowledge and a systematic literature review. The research aims to fill a gap in the field of quantitative and indicator-based risk assessment that does not present a unique and all-encompassing framework capable of collecting the main natural and anthropic risks along with the related taxonomy in a single repository. The framework has been set up to be consulted by researchers, professionals and public administrations to support the evaluation process of potential risks on tangible outdoor heritage enabling users to incrementally add exposure and vulnerability data for each specific risk. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk Analysis and Preservation Strategies of Architectural Heritage)
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30 pages, 70253 KiB  
Article
Emergency Actions for the Documentation, Stabilization, and Consolidation of the Early Bronze Age Fortifications at Khirbat Iskandar, Jordan
by Marta D’Andrea, Suzanne Richard, Jesse C. Long, Jr. and Franco Sciorilli
Heritage 2024, 7(4), 2088-2117; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7040099 - 5 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1489
Abstract
Khirbat Iskandar is an Early Bronze Age (ca. 3800-1950 BCE) mound in the Madaba Governorate of Jordan. Until a decade ago, it was better known as a key site for the non-urban Early Bronze IV period (ca. 2500-1950 BCE), but is increasingly emerging [...] Read more.
Khirbat Iskandar is an Early Bronze Age (ca. 3800-1950 BCE) mound in the Madaba Governorate of Jordan. Until a decade ago, it was better known as a key site for the non-urban Early Bronze IV period (ca. 2500-1950 BCE), but is increasingly emerging as a signature site for the urban Early Bronze II-III period (ca. 3050-2500 BCE). The contour of the tall site is shaped by the presence of buried fortifications that were investigated in the north-western sector of the mound, where a long sequence of rebuilds was recognized, but were exposed to and impacted by modern construction activities along the southern and south-eastern areas prior to being recorded. There, due to erosion and weathering, the stone fortifications dating to the first half of the Early Bronze III (ca. 2850-2650 BCE) fell down. In this paper, we report on our strategies to assess threats, document damages, sustainably stabilize, and consolidate the collapsed ancient fortifications in the 2023 field season at Khirbat Iskandar. At the same time, we discuss the conceptual/methodological and practical challenges of identifying best practices in the conservation and preservation of antiquities that collapsed prior to being excavated. We conclude with some thoughts on how to build on these actions to efficiently present the archaeology and cultural heritage at protohistoric sites, like Khirbat Iskandar, and to make it accessible for the local and the international communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk Analysis and Preservation Strategies of Architectural Heritage)
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