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IATCS - Division of Conservation Sciences at the Institute of Art and Technology, University of Applied Arts Vienna, Austria |
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Together with two more divisions, IATCS emerged from the scientific unit of the former Institute of Conservation and Restoration-Technology (ICORT), which had been active in the field of scientific research on cultural heritage since the early 1980-ies. IATCS has a strong focus on mineral materials in historic sculpture and architecture. |
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One of the main methodological emphases of the expertise lies in the use of microscopic and electron-optical methods in identifying and characterising historic materials as well as features of their deterioration and effects of conservation treatments. In this field, IATCS enjoys a high national and international reputation. This is reflected by a number of publications and reports as well as by the courses for students of conservation and restoration. Prof. Dr. Johannes Weber, Head of IATCS, is in charge of the supervision of the STONECORE-activities. His experience related to the proposed topics is based on 25 years of research and academic training in archaeometric and conservation scientific issues of stone, mortars, mural paintings and related materials of architecture, as well as of soluble salts.
Mag.art. Elisabeth Ghaffari, scientific collaborator within the STONECORE-project, has a background in conservation and restoration of works of art. She received her M.A. degree in 2005 with a thesis in the field of stone conservation with a focus on material-scientific issues. Mag. Ghaffari’s input into STONECORE deals with the identification of the consolidants in the pore space of the various test materials. This includes also characterisation of those materials by petrographic means as well as phase analysis of the consolidants at different ages. She will in addition perform the treatments of test materials and objects. |
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| Former project activities |
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| IATCS, under the former name of ICORT, has participated in several international research projects: |
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Research project of the Central-European University „The Rescue of Baroque Rock Art by M. Braun at Kuks, CZ“
EUREKA EU 496 EUROCARE-EUROMARBLE
EUREKA EU 1382 EUROCARE-EUROPLASTER
EU-Raphael 97/F/2 "Rendered Facades around 1900 in Europe"
EU-Raphael-Project "Conservative Maintenance of the Sgraffiti"
EU-4th FW-Projekt PL950605 ENVIART: "Baroque Artificial Marble - Environmental Impact, Degradation and Protection"
EU-5th FW Project EVK4-CT-2002-00084 ROCEM: “Roman Cement to Restore Built Heritage Effectively" |
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EU-7th FW Project ROCARE: “Roman Cements for Architectural Restoration to New High Standards” (co-ordination; project start September, 2009) |
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| Equipment |
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| IATCS is equipped with the following apparatus relevant to the project activities: |
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Light microscopy covering a range of microscopes with reflected and transmitted light facilities and polarisers at magnifications from 5 times to 1,000 times, including UV-fluorescence. |
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Scanning electron microscope (SEM) with secondary electron (SE) and backscattered electron (BSE) detectors, including an energy-dispersive X-ray analysis system (EDX). |
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| Subcontractors |
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| The following institutions are yielding analytical service to IATCS as subcontractors within the project: |
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Institute for Geochemical Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences (Dr. Bernadett Bajnóczi, PhD) - for cathodoluminescence microscopy |
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Geological Survey of Austria (Dr. Ingeborg Wimmer-Frey) - for X-ray diffraction analyses |
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