An Analytical Method for the Determination of the Climatic Distance between Different Microclimates for the Conservation of Wooden Cultural Heritage Objects

Abstract

This paper describes a statistical methodological approach for the comparison of different microclimates. This method was developed as a tool for choosing a new microclimate for temporary moves. At the present stage of development, this method is not intended to be used for identifying harmful conditions. The proposed method is based on experimental evidence indicating that the sensitivity of wooden objects to environmental fluctuations can differ from object to object, depending on many physical and mechanical parameters. Some objects could be affected by fluctuations that would not be significant for other objects. The parameter adopted in this work is equilibrium moisture content, that is the equilibrium value that a wooden object would tend to maintain under stable temperature and relative humidity values for a long period of time. It must be considered potential because in a fluctuating climate it is never reached. The methodology is based on two parts. The first describes in a mathematically simplified way how climate is perceived by objects with different sensitivities. The second analyzes the climatic distance between different climatic data sets using the mathematical technique of principal components analysis, according to the previously defined object's sensitivity. As a test of the proposed method, four different microclimatic cases studies are analyzed and the results described.