Statistical analysis of principal components (PCA) in the study of the vulnerability of Heritage Churches

Abstract

Built heritage is constantly at risk due to anthropogenic or natural threats. Its vulnerability involves factors related to construction form, state of conservation and urban pressure, for this reason the assessment of vulnerability depends largely on its conservation and restoration. Therefore, the identification of these factors and the analysis of the correlation between them can be an effective tool in the fulfilment of integrated plans focused on the preventive conservation of these buildings. This study focuses on churches built in America (Colombia and Guatemala) between the 16th and 18th centuries, which have been analysed by calculating a global vulnerability index. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was employed to obtain a better observation of the set of data and vulnerability indices to evaluate the behaviour of the factors that affect the model. This first approach by PCA allows to identify similarities and differences in the factors that affect the global vulnerability of each church and facilitate the prediction of typical future behaviours to establish prevention measures applicable to various buildings, moreover this study allowed to analysing the common characteristics and threats to help cultural heritage managers to propose preventive conservation measures applied to the maintenance of heritage buildings and the generation of urban policies focused on articulated plans in risk management, that included criteria based on sustainability and resilience.