Degradation Factors Research Articles

Effects of different cooling methods on the resistance to chloride ion penetration in concrete produced with slag-modified cement and exposed to elevated temperatures

The deterioration of reinforced concrete elements is associated with the ingress of aggressive agents through the concrete capillary pores. The exposure to elevated temperatures can be a serious concrete degradation factor, depending on its intensity and the cooling procedures. This paper presents a quantification of the effects of slow cooling (SC) and fast cooling (FC) methods on the chloride-ions penetration into fire-damaged concretes produced with a slag-modified cement. A (2 × 4 × 2) factorial experimental program was designed to evaluate the diffusion of chloride ions within different types of concrete (characteristic compressive strengths of 20 MPa and 35 MPa) before (25 °C) and after exposure to different high temperature levels (200 °C, 500 °C and 700 °C) and cooling procedures (SC and FC). Chloride diffusion coefficients were used to estimate the service life of the concretes and scanning electron microscopy was used to investigate the microstructural mechanisms behind the durability results. The exposure of concrete to high temperatures compromises its durability, as thermal cracking propagation and porosity increases tend to facilitate the penetration of aggressive agents and the diffusion of chloride ions. The use of the slag-modified cement did not provide significant benefits to the durability of concretes exposed to 200 °C and the effects of different cooling methods on the chloride ions permeability were very noticeable. In contrast, statistical analyses did not detect significant difference between the effects of SC and FC for concretes exposed to 500 °C or 700 °C.

Scutellarein alleviates osteoarthritis progression through the PI3K/Akt/NF-kappaB signaling pathway: In vitro and in vivo studies.

Osteoarthritis (OA), a joint disease that is associated with inflammatory processes is involved in joint destruction. Scutellarein (Scu), a component of the medicinal herbs Scutellaria barbata D. Don and Erigeron breviscapus (vant) Hand Mass, has anti-inflammatory effects. We explored the role of Scu in the development of OA and the underlying mechanisms. CCK-8 assays, Calcein-AM/PI and EdU staining were used to determine chondrocyte viability after Scu exposure. Western blot, qPCR, as well as ELISA were utilized to measure extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and inflammation. Immunofluorescence (IF), western blot and luciferase assays were used to examine the NF-kappaB (NF-κB) pathway. Scu interacting proteins were predicted using network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking. X-ray, H&E, Safranin O-Fast Green(S-O), toluidine blue, and immunohistochemistry analysis were used to examine the therapeutic effects of Scu in OA using destabilization of medial meniscus (DMM) models. Scu demonstrated inhibitory effects on ECM degradation and pro-inflammatory factor levels in chondrocytes treated with IL-1β. Mechanistically, Scu inhibited the IL-1β-induced activation of the PI3K/Akt/ NF-κB signaling pathway cascades. Furthermore, Scu has been shown to have significant binding capacities to PI3K. Additionally, Scu ameliorated the OA progression in DMM models. Our findings suggest that Scu may contribute to the amelioration of OA progression by targeting the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway, implying Scu possesses promising therapeutic potential for the treatment of OA.

On the temperature dependence of enzymatic degradation of poly(ethylene terephthalate)

Enzymatic recycling of poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, has attracted significant attention in recent years. Temperature is a governing factor in the enzymatic degradation of PET, influencing simultaneously the catalytic activity and thermal stability of enzymes, as well as the biodegradability of PET materials from many perspectives. Here we present a detailed examination of the complex and mutual effects of temperature on the degradation of low-crystallinity PET (LC-PET, 7.6%) and high-crystallinity PET (HC-PET, 30%) microparticles using the WCCG variant of the leaf-branch compost cutinase (LCC). The degradation velocity apparently increases exponentially with increasing temperature at temperatures below 65 °C. Arrhenius plots show a sudden reduction in activation energy at temperatures higher than 40 °C, suggesting the onset of the surface glass transition of PET particles. This is more than 20 °C lower than the bulk glass transition temperature, underscoring the interfacial catalytic nature of enzymatic PET degradation. WCCG undergoes substantial conformational changes upon thermal incubation at temperatures ranging from 50 to 70 °C and exhibits enhanced activity, owing to the increased intrinsic catalytic activity and improved adsorption on PET surface. Further increasing the temperature leads to the inactivation of enzymes alongside the rapid recrystallization of amorphous PET, impeding the enzymatic degradation. These findings offer a detailed mechanistic understanding of the temperature dependence of the enzymatic degradation of PET, and may have implications for the engineering of more powerful PET hydrolases and the selection of favorable conditions for industrially-related recycling processes.

Assessment of the current status of soil quality and types of land degradation in Quang Ninh province, Vietnam

This study focused on providing practical information to assess the current status of soil quality and land degradation in Quang Ninh province, Vietnam to provide more evidence on land degradation status and factors affecting land degradation in this area. The soil samples were collected and analyzed in 2020 and compared to the available data of soil analysis data collected at the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Quang Ninh Province in 2010. The percentage of degraded land ranges from 51.70 to 90.36%. Forest land is the type with the highest percentage of degraded land with 90.36% of total forestry land area; Unused hilly land ranks second with degraded land at 87.15%; the percentage of degraded land in agriculture production land stays at 80.59%. The types of land degradation such as Condensation, Acidification, and Salinization only take place on a small area of land in the province. The cause of land degradation in Quang Ninh comes from both natural and anthropogenic causes. The main reasons can be mentioned as the terrain has a steep slope; the climate is hot and rainy; the climate change situation is complicated; and inappropriate agricultural practices. To solve the above situation, it is necessary to have solutions and integrated strategies for the rational exploitation and use of land resources. Especially environmentally friendly agricultural farming methods that are highly adaptive to climate change such as organic agriculture, circular agriculture, and sustainable agriculture.

The molecular basis of COP1 action during photomorphogenesis.

COP1 (CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC1), a repressor of seedling photomorphogenesis, is tightly controlled by light. In Arabidopsis, COP1 primarily acts as a part of large E3 ligase complexes and targets key light-signaling factors for ubiquitination and degradation. Upon light perception, the action of COP1 is precisely modulated by active photoreceptors. During seedling development, light plays a predominant role in modulating seedling morphogenesis, including inhibition of hypocotyl elongation, cotyledon opening and expansion, and chloroplast development. These visible morphological changes evidently are resulted from networks of molecular action. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about the molecular role of COP1 in mediating light-controlled seedling development.

Allelopathy and potential allelochemicals of Ligularia sagitta as an invasive plant

ABSTRACT Allelopathy is the main chemical means in the invasion process of exotic plants and one of the key factors in grassland degradation. In this experiment, we investigated the effects of ethyl acetate phase extract (EAE), n-butanol phase extract (BE) and aqueous phase extract (AE) from the aboveground (stems and leaves) and roots of Ligularia sagitta on seed germination and seedling growth of four Gramineae forages (Poa pratensis L. Festuca ovina L. Elymus nutans Griseb. Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn.) in their sympatric domains and one Legosuminae forage (Medicago sativa L.). The chemical components in each phase extract of L. sagitta were determined with UHPLC-MS/MS non-targeted metabolomics, and the differential compounds were screened using Orthogonal Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA). Within a set concentration range, EAE significantly inhibited seed germination and seedling growth of four Gramineae forages. BE and AE acted mainly in the seedling growth stage and did not significantly inhibit forage seed germination. P. pratensis was most sensitive to L. sagitta extracts; at 2.0 mg/mL of EAE from roots, germination energy and germination rate of P. pratensis seeds were 0. L. sagitta extracts inhibited the growth of M. sativa seedlings and did not inhibit its seed germination. A total of 904 compounds were identified with UHPLC-MS/MS, among which 31, 64, 81 and 66 metabolites displayed different accumulation patterns in the four comparison groups (R.EAE vs. R.BE, R.EAE vs. R.AE, SL.EAE vs. SL.BE, SL.EAE vs. SL.AE), respectively. In particular, 9 compounds were found to be common up-regulated differential metabolites in the four comparison groups and were enriched in EAE. Additionally, N,N-dimethylaniline, Caffeic acid, 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid, 4-Hydroxybenzaldehyde and cis-9-Octadecenoic acid as potential allelochemicals in L. sagitta. The results of this study support efforts at finding alternative control plants for the restoration of poisonous grass-type degraded grasslands.

Assessment of the Ecological Impact of Pollution in the Damanganga River

The Damanganga River faces severe pollution from industrial effluents and sewage, impacting its ecological health. The study aimed to analyze the current water quality status at the proposed conventional barrage site across the river between Silvassa, Vapi and Daman in India. Water samples were collected from three sites along the river during different seasons and analyzed for physicochemical parameters like TDS, COD, BOD, nutrients, fecal coliforms, heavy metals, etc. as per standard methods. Principal component analysis (PCA) was done. GCMS profiling of organics was also carried out. Several parameters exceeded the desired limits. TDS, BOD, fecal coliforms were very high indicating organic pollution and sewage contamination. Dissolved oxygen was deficient at some sites. Cadmium, copper and iron exceeded limits due to industrial releases containing these metals. PCA showed organic pollution as the major degrading factor for water quality followed by industrial contamination. GCMS analysis revealed hazardous organics like petrochemicals, fatty acids, solvents, pesticides and aromatic pollutants at varying levels along the river’s course demonstrating pollution from oil spillages, industrial effluents and agricultural runoff. The findings confirm severe deterioration in the Damanganga's water quality from inadequately treated sewage and industrial discharges posing environmental and health risks. Stringent regulations, proper wastewater treatment, runoff control and regular monitoring are vital to improve the river's condition

Influence of moisture and salinity on property degradation of nano-engineered epoxy polymers for offshore applications

This study has attempted to investigate the influence of major environmental degradation factors for offshore and coastal structures, such as moisture and salinity, on epoxy-based bonded composite systems and to identify the means of degradation of the same. Exhaustive experimental investigations have been carried out with different salinity levels (0%, 2.5% and 5%) and exposure periods (45 days to longer time periods (>1 year)) to determine the influence of the same on the mechanical property degradation of epoxy polymers. The effect of degraded properties on the performance degradation of bonded epoxy composite systems in terms of damage pattern and load-carrying capacity has been investigated using numerical simulations with non-linear material models and traction-separation interface behaviour. Further, it is also attempted to fundamentally engineer the epoxy polymers using nanosilica to improve their mechanical properties and environmental resistance. Finally, diffusion tests have been performed on the plain and nanoengineered epoxy polymers to understand the change in diffusion mechanisms due to nanoengineering, and a correlation has been established between the diffusion behaviour and the mechanical property degradation. The findings of this study will lead towards the development of stronger and more durable epoxy-bonded composite systems for marine applications.

Extendable origami multilayer insulation thermal characterization

Spacecraft commonly use multilayer insulation (MLI) for passive thermal control, however deployable structures such as telescoping booms impose the need to stow MLI preflight and extend with the structure for in flight operation. This paper investigates an octagonal origami folding pattern that allows predictable stowage and extension of multilayer insulation. Feasibility was demonstrated to fold, compress and extend a MLI blanket comprising 10 layers of aluminized Kapton, each separated by a layer of scrim cloth. Both folded and unfolded 10-layer MLI blankets were tested in thermal vacuum to characterize heat leak of deployed configurations. The 10-layer origami folded configuration increased thermal conductance and radiative heat transport relative to the unfolded configuration. Degradation factors for heat transport were empirically found to be Mk=2.5±0.3 and Me=1.3±0.2 for effective thermal conductance and emittance, respectively.

Ni-Cu Alloyed Austempered Ductile Iron Resistance to Multifactorial Wear

The paper provides a discussion on the results of studies of the effect exerted by combined degradation factors typical of four types of wear: abrasion, impact–abrasion, tribocorrosion, and impact–abrasion–corrosion, conducted for chain wheels made of Ni-Cu alloyed austempered ductile iron. The studies consisted of determining the content of retained austenite in the structure of the cast irons in question, establishing the measures of wear following wear testing, and identifying the basic surface degradation mechanisms observed in the chain wheels tested following multifactorial wear processes. The chain wheels made of ADI were found to have sustained the greatest damage under the impact–abrasion–corrosion (three-factor) wear scenario, while the wear was least advanced in the abrasion (one-factor) wear case. Another observation derived from the studies is that the combined effect of dynamic forces, corrosion, and quartz sand-based abrasives causes increased surface degradation in the cast iron grades taken into consideration compared to processes characterised by a reduced number of degradation factors (i.e., one- or two-factor wear processes). Additional hardness tests and XRD analyses revealed that a distinctive effect attributable to combined degradation factors on the surface hardness increased value and implied that bench testing was followed by phase transition.

The impact of renewable energy sources on the environment

The use of renewable energy sources is becoming a modern phenomenon that saves energy costs and protects the environment in the long term. The contribution is mapping selected energy and environmental aspects and evaluating renewable energy sources' impact on the environment. At present, energy supply is still mostly provided by sources coming from fossil or nuclear reserves. Although the concept of the "upper limit of exhaustibility" of these resources is increasingly used, there are still disagreements between experts in the field of the life expectancy of the reserves. Population growth means higher consumer demands, which also results in higher consumption of energy resources. Environmental degradation has become a global problem that requires the emphasis of recent studies. Non-renewable energy is a significant factor in environmental degradation. Therefore, policymakers have focused on supporting the production and consumption of energy from renewable sources in all economic activities to ensure a low-carbon economy.

Detection of Typical Forest Degradation Patterns: Characteristics and Drivers of Forest Degradation in Northeast China

The accurate identification of forest degradation and its driving factors is a prerequisite for implementing high-quality forest management. However, distinguishing degradation patterns is often neglected in large-scale forest quality assessments. The indicators were constructed to identify typical forest degradation patterns using remote sensing indexes, followed by an analysis of the spatiotemporal dynamics of forest degradation and quantification of the contributions from various driving factors. The results indicated that the constructed indicators could effectively distinguish typical forest degradation patterns, with a fire degradation identification accuracy of 90.0% and a fitting accuracy of drought and pest degradation higher than 0.7. The cold temperate conifer forest zone had the largest proportion of fire degradation, accounting for 67.7% of the area, and totals of 99.0% of the subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest zone and 92.8% of the temperate conifer and broadleaf mixed forest zone were moderately to severely affected by drought, with long-term stability. Additionally, 0.1% of the temperate grassland region and 0.1% of the cold temperate conifer forest zone underwent severe pest infestations, with a long-term stable trend. Meteorological factors were the primary contributors to all typical degradation patterns, accounting for 81.35%, 58.70%, and 82.29%, respectively. The research developed an index for assessing forest degradation and explained the importance of natural and anthropogenic factors in forest degradation. The results are beneficial for the scientific management of forest degradation and for improving forest management efficiency.

LIDAR-based SLAM system for autonomous vehicles in degraded point cloud scenarios: dynamic obstacle removal

PurposeThis study aims to achieve superior localization and mapping performance in point cloud degradation scenarios through the effective removal of dynamic obstacles. With the continuous development of various technologies for autonomous vehicles, the LIDAR-based Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system is becoming increasingly important. However, in SLAM systems, effectively addressing the challenges of point cloud degradation scenarios is essential for accurate localization and mapping, with dynamic obstacle removal being a key component.Design/methodology/approachThis paper proposes a method that combines adaptive feature extraction and loop closure detection algorithms to address this challenge. In the SLAM system, the ground point cloud and non-ground point cloud are separated to reduce the impact of noise. And based on the cylindrical projection image of the point cloud, the intensity features are adaptively extracted, the degradation direction is determined by the degradation factor and the intensity features are matched with the map to correct the degraded pose. Moreover, through the difference in raster distribution of the point clouds before and after two frames in the loop process, the dynamic point clouds are identified and removed, and the map is updated.FindingsExperimental results show that the method has good performance. The absolute displacement accuracy of the laser odometer is improved by 27.1%, the relative displacement accuracy is improved by 33.5% and the relative angle accuracy is improved by 23.8% after using the adaptive intensity feature extraction method. The position error is reduced by 30% after removing the dynamic target.Originality/valueCompared with LiDAR odometry and mapping algorithm, the method has greater robustness and accuracy in mapping and localization.

Non-local degradation modeling for spatially adaptive single image super-resolution

Existing methods for single image super-resolution (SISR) model the blur kernel as spatially invariant across the entire image, and are susceptible to the adverse effects of textureless patches. To achieve improved results, adaptive estimation of the degradation kernel is necessary. We explore the synergy of joint global and local degradation modeling for spatially adaptive blind SISR. Our model, named spatially adaptive network for blind super-resolution (SASR), employs a simple encoder to estimate global degradation representations and a decoder to extract local degradation. These two representations are fused with a cross-attention mechanism and applied using spatially adaptive filtering to enhance the local image detail. Specifically, SASR contains two novel features: (1) a non-local degradation modeling with contrastive learning to learn global and local degradation representations, and (2) a non-local spatially adaptive filtering module (SAFM) that incorporates the global degradation and spatial-detail factors to preserve and enhance local details. We demonstrate that SASR can efficiently estimate degradation representations and handle multiple types of degradation. The local representations avoid the detrimental effect of estimating the entire super-resolved image with only one kernel through locally adaptive adjustments. Extensive experiments are performed to quantitatively and qualitatively demonstrate that SASR not only performs favorably for degradation estimation but also leads to state-of-the-art blind SISR performance when compared to alternative approaches.

Multispectral Satellite Datasets for Detection and Mapping of Land Cover Change in a Mediterranean Area of North Africa, Belezma (Algeria)

Multispectral satellite images are valuable sources of information for ecologists, agriculture climatologists, or environmentalists. Handling satellite images represents a challenge for better understanding the global change. The Belezma massif by its exceptional geographical position in the Mediterranean region of Northeast Algeria constitutes a fragile hot spot ecosystem with all the degradation factors that directly affect all landcovers. The objective of this study is to determine the contribution of satellite images in the detection of land cover global changes between 1986 and 2021 and landscape monitoring in Belezma region. The methodology adopted is the spatial remote sensing of the evolution of forest stands and the change in land cover, from the processing of Landsat images (L05 TM 1986, L07 ETM+ 2001 and L08 OLI_TIRS 2021) and sampling work for confrontation with the reality on the ground. The outcomes of this investigation demonstrate a general regression rate in the natural vegetation cover that the cedar forest, the steppe, and the wetlands lost 42%, 49%, and 97%, respectively, of their areas between 1986 and 2021, while the degraded and anthropic occupations have increased in favor of market gardening, bare soil, urban areas, and arboriculture by 836%, 158%, 131%, and 50%, respectively, over the same period. This study made it possible to identify and analyze 13 main land uses and plant formations over a period of 35 years, which can be used as a decision-making aid model for the managers of these territories.

Regional players as antagonists: forms of irredentism and "phantom pains" of neighbors in different types of contemporary civilizations

The article shows the evolution in the interpretation of antagonists in science, the flexibility and changeability of antagonists on the world stage, the competition between neighbors of the first order and the possibility of alliances with neighbors of the second order, errors in determining possible allies in France. The historical vectors of different forms of irredentism, the factors of degradation of irredentism and its transformation from legitimate and fair to illegal and unfair are divorced. The differences in the definition of antagonists and the degree of aggressiveness of Retro-, Pirahan- and Forthcoming civilizations are revealed. It is proved that retro-civilizations engaged in the revision of historical memory and based on a retrograde, revanchist orientation live at the expense of "phantom pains", in Russia's neighbors – thanks to irrational Russophobia. Their aggressiveness is capable of reaching a high intensity, but does not rely on the necessary resources. The Pirahan-civilization is also unstable – due to the gap between the hedonism of the dominant culture and the propaganda of the "progressors"-motives. Among the forthcoming-civilizations, there are both peaceful progressive options and expansionist reactionary variants.

Understanding the pavement project failures in Pakistan: identifying causes and solutions

Pavement deterioration is a major issue in Pakistan's road and highway infrastructure. The current study attempts to clarify the most important factors of road degradation in Pakistan using a questionnaire prepared and distributed to engineers, contractors, architects, surveyors, and project managers involved in road development and upkeep. The study had 147 replies. This data was collected from employees from various road construction sectors in Pakistan. Convenience sampling, a sort of non-probability sampling, is used for data gathering due to time and resource constraints. The data were analysed through SPSS and Microsoft Excel. The responses were gathered using a 10-point Likert scale. The standard (inadequate density in surface or sub-base) has the maximum rank of 9.1, while the lowest factor (use of naturally smooth uncrushed aggregate) is 2.0. Furthermore, the causes of deterioration were reorganised into eight consistent groups of pertinent causes. The first group (effect of traffic load and volume) has a severity level of 6.5, while the last group (effect of bond between layers) ranks 3.22 in group comparison. The study is helpful in identifying the causes of road deterioration in Pakistan and avoiding or mitigating their effects during design, construction, and maintenance through operation.

Состояние почвенного покрова и фитомелиорация пастбищ в районах Восточного Предкавказья

Introduction. The arid zone of the Eastern Ciscaucasia, and specifically the extremely arid and arid areas of the Stavropol Territory, with low-fertile pasture soil cover, are subject to degradation associated with both soil and climatic conditions and anthropogenic technological load on the soil. Materials and methods. The manifestation and areas occupied by soil degradation factors (the presence of salt marshes, salt marshes, erosion and deflation) in each of the districts are different, therefore, for a comprehensive assessment of the level of degradation in a particular area, calculations of the generalized indicator of degradation of the soil cover of pastures are carried out. Results and discussion. Based on a systematic analysis, with an assessment of the desirability and weight of each of the degradation factors, it was found that the soil cover of the pastures of the Kursk region is subject to a moderate level of degradation (Dp=0.95), Ipatovsky district with Dp=0.90 – increased, and Apanasenkovsky Turkmen, Arzgir, Levokumsky, Neftekumsky districts – a high level of degradation with Dp=0.822–0.828. Сonclusion. In an area with a moderate level of degradation of the pasture soil cover, a superficial improvement of the natural herbage is proposed with the addition of perennial grasses to it: Medicagovaria, Melilotusofficinalis, Melilotus album, Agropyron fragile, Kochiaarenaria. With an increased and high level of degradation of pasture soils, it is advisable to radically improve with the use of legume-cereal grass mixtures from Medicagofalcata, Medicagovaria, Onobrychisarenaria, Agropyron fragile, Elytrigiaintermedia, Bromopsisinermis, Kochiaarenaria. On saline soils, it is also effective to use both Medicago falcate and Medicagovaria and Agropyrondesertorum, Agropyroncristatum, Elytrigiaintermedia, Bromopsisinermis, Kochiaarenaria, Bassiaprostrata, Melilotusofficinalis, Melilotus album, Festucavalesiaca, Leymusracemosus. Suggestions for practical application and direction of future research. The developed map-scheme of degradation of the soil cover of pastures of the Stavropol Territory districts, indicating the numerical values of the complex indicator Dp, allows you to make certain technological decisions on carrying out a complex of phyto-meliorative measures on pastures specifically for each district of the Eastern Caucasus.

The Influence of Solar Ageing on the Compositions of Epoxy Resin with Natural Polyphenol Quercetin.

Epoxy resin compositions are used in modern railways, replacing other materials. However, epoxy composites in public transport are subject to many requirements, including that they should be flame retardant and resistant to weather conditions. The aim of the research was to analyse the resistance to solar ageing of epoxy resin composites containing flame retardants and the addition of the natural stabilising substance-quercetin. The homogeneity of the samples (optical microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy) and their thermal stability (TGA thermogravimetry) were analysed. The T5 temperature, which is the initial temperature of thermal decomposition of the samples, was 7 °C higher for the epoxy resin containing quercetin, so the material with polyphenol was characterised by better thermal resistance. Changes in material properties (hardness, surface energy, carbonyl index, colour) after 800 h solar ageing were investigated. The tensile tests on materials were executed for three different directions before and after ageing effect. The samples showed good resistance to degradation factors, i.e., they retained the functional properties (hardness and mechanical properties). However, analysis of carbonyl indices and surface energies showed that changes appeared in the composites after solar ageing, suggesting the beginning of material degradation. An approximately 3-fold increase in the polar component in epoxy resin compositions (from approximately 3 mN/m to approximately 11 mN/m) is associated with an increase in their hydrophilicity and the progress of ageing of the materials' surface. The obtained results are an introduction to further research on the long-term degradation processes of epoxy resins with plant stabilisers.

Analiza stanu technicznego elewacji wewnętrznych Donżonu Twierdzy Kłodzko

The article presents an analysis of the technical condition of the interior facades of the Donjon in the Klodzko Fortress. The aim of the study is to understand the processes leading to the deterioration of the architectural heritage. The Klodzko Fortress, located in Lower Silesia, is one of the most important and largest fortifications in Poland, with a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages. Modern structures date mainly from the 17th and 18th centuries. The article focuses on the analysis of the technical condition of the internal facades of the donjon, which are exposed to various degradation factors such as weather conditions, human activity and time. The studies were carried out in 2016 and 2023. They aimed to determine the current condition of the donjon's internal facades and the causes of the observed deterioration. The two surveys made it possible to assess differences in damage and the speed of degradation processes and their impact on the current state of the facades.