WARMEST EU PROJECT

WARMEST objectives

The strategic objective of WARMEST is to develop an intelligent decision support system that will result in a tool named Cultural Heritage Risk Analysis (CHRA). It will be a very low impact tool capable of suggesting improvements in maintenance and risk management procedures in the cultural and natural heritage spaces.

  The system will be able to anticipate future scenarios, based on the acquired data, indicating what actions can be anticipated to avoid major risks in maintenance and probable risks, being those very related to the climate change and global warming scenario.

Main objectives

OBJ1 – Collect updated, detailed and integrated data on cultural heritage conservation state.
The availability of the required data on status of the heritage is key to pass it safely to future generations by taking on time and correct conservation decisions. Remote Sensing and Ecomapper underwater technology are effective in investigating structure’s moisture content, evolution of cracks, in monitoring movements foundation, in the analysis of thermic gradients.

OBJ2 – Define safe and effective visitor routes for monuments/sites
A correct balance between avoidance of risks for monuments/sites and their accessibility, may turn visits more enjoyable and safe, increase attendance, incomes, and attract more students and scholars

OBJ3 – Produce accurate and cost effective predictive maintenance plans on foreseen scenarios for cultural and natural heritage sites
According to UNESCO providing a strong and cost effective maintenance plan is the most important factor to preserve cultural heritage.
A Decision Support System, using scientifically based what-if scenarios integrated with economic calculations, is totally lacking. It would have to embed know-how from widely different disciplines.

OBJ4 – Take decision on excavation campaigns in relation to expected maintenance plans
New technologies can highlight presence and composition of buried structures, helping to create integrated excavation/maintenance plans, and greatly supporting knowledge on past cultures.