New applications of scanning laser Doppler vibrometry (SLDV) to nondestructive diagnosis of artwork: mosaics, ceramics, inlaid wood, and easel painting

Abstract

During the last years the growing importance of the correct determination of the state of conservation of artworks has been stated by all personalities in care of Cultural Heritage. There exist many analytical methodologies and techniques to individuate the physical and chemical characteristics of artworks, but at present their structural diagnostics mainly rely on the expertise of the restorer and the typical diagnostic process is accomplished mainly through manual and visual inspection of the object surface. The basic idea behind the proposed technique is to substitute human senses with measurement instruments: surfaces are very slightly vibrated by mechanical actuators, while a laser Doppler vibrometer scans the objects measuring surface velocity and producing 2D or 3D maps. Where a defect occurs velocity is higher than neighboring areas so defects can be easily spotted. Laser vibrometers also identify structural resonance frequencies thus leading to a complete characterization of defects. This work will present the most recent results coming out of the application of Scanning Laser Doppler Vibrometers (SLDV) to different types of artworks: mosaics, ceramics, inlaid wood and easel painting. Real artworks and samples realized on purpose have been studied using the proposed technique and different measuring issues resulting from each artwork category will be described.