Technical Monument Research Articles

How Transport Rarities Were Preserved

The article systematises and analyses information reflecting the main approaches to preservation and presentation of monuments of transport history during the period of «perestroika». It was during this period that various social practices emerged in the field of preserving technical monuments, which later became traditional. The author examines several important anniversary events related to the history of transport, during which numerous historical rarities were identified and preserved, and new museums and exhibitions were created.

Research for the restoration of a historical technical monument "Zimbru blast furnace", from Zimbru village, Arad county

Research for the restoration of a historical technical monument "Zimbru blast furnace", from Zimbru village, Arad county

Possibility of using a portable multi-gas detector Dräger X-am 8000 for monitoring explosive gases in the area of historical oil and gas mines in the Podkarpackie region.

The oldest oil basin in the world is located in the Polish Carpathians. Former mines, often abandoned, have become technical monuments. The growing popularity of industrial tourism in the world and in Poland attracts more and more tourists who want to "find oil" on their own. In most cases, these are abandoned crude oil and natural gas mines, being in such places is associated with the risk of poisoning, ignition or explosion of escaping gases from unprotected crude oil mines or borehole outlets. The article also points to the heritage of oil mining in the Polish Carpathians and related cultural routes. The author focuses on the issue related to the occurrence of the hazard zone of hydrogen sulphide poisoning or methane explosion in the sites of old oil mines. It presents the possibility of using the mobile multi-gas detector Dräger X-am 8000 as a personal device for monitoring the concentration of gases and vapours considered toxic and / or explosive, such as Methane or Hydrogen Sulfide. It also proposes the use of the Dräger X-am 8000 multi-gas detector, which in combination with the Dräger X-site Live real-time area monitoring module can serve as a mobile system for short- or long-term monitoring of the above-mentioned zones.

Indoor exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: A comparison of stir bar sorptive extraction and pump sampling

AbstractStir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) was compared with standardized pump sampling regarding the prospects to assess airborne levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in indoor environments. A historic railway water tower, which will be preserved as a technical monument for museum purposes, was sampled with both approaches because the built‐in insulation material was suspected to release PAHs to the indoor air. The 16 PAHs on the US EPA list were quantified using gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection in filters from pump sampling after solvent extraction and on SBSE devices after thermal desorption. SBSE was seen to sample detectable PAH masses with excellent repeatability and a congener pattern largely similar to that observed with pump sampling. Congener patterns were however significantly different from that in the PAH source because release from the insulation material is largely triggered by the respective congener vapor pressures. Absolute masses in the ng range sampled by SBSE corresponded to airborne concentrations in the ng L−1 range determined by pump sampling. Principle differences between SBSE and pump sampling as well as prospects of SBSE as cost‐effective and versatile complement of pump sampling are discussed.

APPLICATION OF GEOMATICS METHODS IN THE RESEARCH OF STRUCTURES OF HISTORICAL KITCHENS

The article deals with metric survey documentation of medieval and early modern kitchens preserved in various types of buildings in the Czech Republic. Historic kitchens are important but still neglected technical monuments in terms of knowledge of their functional and structural aspects. As part of the student scientific project, surveys and metric survey documentation were carried out, which are the bases for the creation of diagrams of the spatial and structural arrangement of medieval and early modern kitchens. For the article, five very well-preserved kitchens were selected which represent three construction types of historical kitchens. For selected examples, their current metric survey documentation was evaluated. According to its quality and according to the character of a particular kitchen, the method of new metric survey documentation was chosen – 3D geodetic measurement (total station), Terrestrial Laser Scanning (point cloud and 3D model) and close range photogrammetry (point cloud and textured 3D model). The aim was to test and evaluate the informative possibilities of these technologies. Outputs are the description and the metric survey documentation of the selected kitchens. These outputs will be used in the passports of individual buildings to evaluate their construction development. The documentation will also allow the creation of generalizing schemes of spatial and structural arrangement of the individual types of kitchens.

Virtual tourism on the example of the defunct Koscelisko medieval church in the North-Western Slovakia

The primary objective of this paper is to present opportunities for creating virtual 3D models of defunct historical buildings, reconstructed on the basis of archival and field research, and the effective promotion and visualisation of such models through a thematic web application. The secondary objective is to increase the tourism potential and attractiveness of the various historical sites and the studied region. The comprehensive methodical processing of documents and the creation of 3D models of objects and other digital visualisation requires not only high-quality programmers and graphic artists, but especially scientists who create historically-relevant descriptive texts, real schemes, and historically acceptable models that can be computer-processed, visualised, and used as an effective tool for the development of tourism. Research and follow-up activities require an interdisciplinary approach, i.e. the cooperation of experts from various disciplines. The research processed in this study points out that even simple, now widely available modern means of communication, such as websites, can be effectively used for the promotion and publicity of this type of attraction. High-quality 3D models and visualisations of buildings and specific destinations, or cultural and technical monuments, can thus become available to tourists also outside museums. This paper introduces the opportunities of digital presentation of preserved, partially defunct and, especially, completely defunct historical buildings and sites that are often almost unknown to tourists. In many cases, only their shells or foundations remain. In terms of cultural heritage conservation and monument protection, these sites are often among the most important religious buildings from various historical periods. This study focuses on the Middle Ages and locations in Slovakia (former Hungary), and presents a methodology that is generally applicable for the research and visualisation of any similar cultural sites, and thus opening up their potential to tourists.

Waloryzacja turystyczna i ocena wykorzystania potencjału dziedzictwa materialnego Ukrainy Zachodniej dla turystyki sentymentalnej

Potential of material cultural heritage of the Western Ukraine, its valorisation and evaluation of the use for sentimental tourism The article presents a valorisation of material cultural heritage for sentimental tourism of Poles and an analysis of the use of this potential in tourist offer. The analysis of values included defensive buildings and residences, religious buildings, cemeteries, as well as other architectural and technical monuments that can be used for the purposes of Polish sentimental tourism in the Western Ukraine, a territory that belonged to the Second Polish Republic. The analysis based on the point bonitation method showed that the Lviv and Ternopil regions have the greatest potential. However, the tourist offer of Polish travel agencies to the Western Ukraine covers only part of the potential of Polish cultural heritage.

Historyczny układ hydrotechniczny w Jędrowie (województwo świętokrzyskie) zachowany w formach i osadach – studium geoarcheologiczno-konserwatorskie

Młyn w Jędrowie jest jednym z niewielu obiektów na terenie Staropolskiego Okręgu Przemysłowego, który zachował się w dobrym stanie. Dotyczy to również pozostałości wciąż widocznej w rzeźbie infrastruktury hydrotechnicznej oraz śladów jej funkcjonowania zachowanych w osadach równiny zalewowej Kamionki. Szczegółowe analizy, z wykorzystaniem specjalistycznych metod badawczych podpartych kwerendą materiałów historycznych, pozwoliły na lokalizację poszczególnych elementów tej infrastruktury, tj. dawny zbiornik, młynówka, wały. Część tej infrastruktury jest dobrze zachowana w rzeźbie i widoczna na numerycznym modelu terenu. Inne ślady po historycznej działalności metalurgicznej widoczne są dopiero po makro- i mikroskopowej analizie osadów jeziornych oraz pozakorytowych, tj. węgielki drzewne, żużle i mikroskopijne kulki żelaza. W miejscu odrestaurowanego młyna lub też w jego pobliżu funkcjonowała kuźnica, o czym świadczą materiały archiwalne. Obecnie młyn jest odrestaurowywany, a badania przedstawione w artykule posłużyły do objęcia tego obiektu wraz z najbliższym otoczeniem ochroną konserwatorską jako zabytku techniki.

CZECH WW2 CONCRETE FORTIFICATIONS: CORROSION PROCESSES AND REMEDIATION METHOD BASED ON CRYSTALLIZING COATING

Concrete is a relatively new structural material, hence the remediation of concrete structures is very rare. There are a lot of concrete fortifications in the Czech Republic, which were built just before WW2. These bunkers formed a long defensive line along the Czechoslovak borders as a protection against Hitler’s army. Today, after 80 years, many of the bunkers are listed as Czech national technical monuments with a strict protection of their historical authenticity. The article describes the technical survey and the possible conservation method of a selected concrete fortification, which exhibits a number of moisture related problems. The studied two-storey, heavily fortified bunker is situated close to the northern border of the Czech Republic, former Czechoslovakia. A detailed survey of the building includes the analysis of the interior environment parameters and laboratory testing of the used concrete. A long-term diagnosis identified the main problem, which lies in the inhomogeneity of the used concrete and the relating massive water ingress. However, the monitored bunker currently does not serve as a military structure and, therefore, a simple solution to improve the internal environment was suggested on the basis of the conducted measurements. With respect to the main causes of failures, the authors suggested a conservation method based on using a crystallizing coating. The suitability of the method was first verified under laboratory conditions and then also on the real bunker.

Technical Cultural Heritage on the Elbe-Vltava Waterway

The article presents the principal objectives and current results of the project “Documentation and Presentation of Technical Cultural Heritage on the Elbe-Vltava Waterway”, which is part of the National and Cultural Identity programme administered by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic. The historical development of the modifications of navigable sections of the Elbe and the Vltava Rivers documents that its beginnings coincide with the beginnings of the settlement of the river valleys in the Middle Ages. These modifications were related to the human need to use rivers for navigation and hydropower generation and went through an interesting development throughout the Medieval Times. The lock structures situated on the Elbe-Vltava Waterway represent extensive and unique technical heritage which still serves its original purpose. The locks are typically composed of a weir structure, a lock and a hydroelectric power plant. The project’s objective is to document the existing technical heritage at the level of individual locks and their construction and technological elements. Furthermore, attention will be focused on the identification of endangered structures on the Elbe-Vltava waterway which no longer meet the present-day functional or capacity requirements and which will probably need to undergo sensitive modernisations in the future in the context of their cultural and historical value. The project intends to present and introduce these technical monuments to the general public. The presentation of the structures includes the historical development of their design, the description of the original technological elements and their present-day role in water transport, and the exploitation of their potential for recreation and tourism.

Historical Water Management Constructions, their Value, Function and Significance

The contribution would like to present a new research project focused on expansion of the knowledge, systematic documentation and definition of objective criteria for the evaluation of a specific group of technical monuments – historical water management constructions. The main goal is to develop a methodology of unambiguous identification, categorization and evaluation of historical water management objects in terms of historic preservation and renewal, based on an interdisciplinary approach.Attainment of the project’s goals through:- documentation and analysis of the water management objects’ evolution in chosen study areas, using historical topographical maps of five different periods, as well as archive sources,- comparative analysis of the historical water management objects’ development in study areas, taking into consideration different conditions both natural and socio-economicThe project’s outcomes will be:- a set of maps,- the methodology of identification, categorization and evaluation of historical water management objects. The methodology will be a significant contribution to further research activities involving documentation, evaluation, preservation and renewal of this specific cultural heritage fund.

Extending Offer of Options for Tourism in Orava Region with Geotourism Localities

Orava, a formerly underdeveloped region, is currently resuming the status of an interesting centre of tourism. Its popularity began to boom there in the second half of the 20thcentury, particularly thanks to the Orava Reservoir. The region was also affected by the geopolitical changes back at the end of the 1980s. The region never had much industry and thus the landscape may now offer many beauties of both the animate and inanimate nature. The geological structure and geomorphology of the ground also offer a number of tourist destinations. The paper mentions several of these, namely the klippes in Podbiel, the Orava Castle, the Orava Reservoir and its surroundings with the discoveries of meteoritic iron, Pucov plum-pudding stone, and the geothermal spring in Oravice. The paper also describes one technical monument, František’s ironworks in Podbiel. An offer of geomontane / geotourist trails through Orava may attract a wide spectrum of visitors to the region.

EVANGELICAL OBJECTS IN POLISH COLLECTIONS – ATTEMPT AT TYPOLOGY

The article discusses the legacy of Protestantism in Poland and the Protestant collections preserved in museum institutions in Poland. The author presents the collections of Evangelical artefacts amassed in various ways and forms and at different times, which thus constitutes a preliminary typology of the legacy of the Reformation. For simplification, she defines Evangelical objects as all objects which are part of the broadly-understood Protestant legacy. The spectrum of these objects is very broad, ranging from artefacts in traditional museum institutions, through sacred places, works of art, technical monuments, ephemera, cemeteries, to virtual collections of audiovisual and digitised legal instruments. The examples quoted in the text do not exhaust the subject, but evidence the vastness and richness of the legacy acquired as a donation after the Reformation movement initiated by the Augustinian monk Martin Luther.

Restoration of the Echelsbacher Bridge in Germany

After its completion in 1929, the Echelsbacher Bridge in the alpine foothills of Bavaria (Germany) was an internationally renowned engineering achievement. Built in the Melan design, this was the largest Melan-type arch bridge of its time. Due to environmental influences over time, the bridge has reached an unsafe and structurally hazardous state. This paper describes the history and the details of the bridge and the investigations carried out for its structural safety verification. It was shown that this structural heritage has reached the end of its life cycle; therefore, the decision was made to replace it. The new bridge design well integrates this historical and technical monument.

To Theory of Montanistic Tourism

Abstract In connection with the growth of interest in technical monuments, montanistic tourism, focusing on subjects related to the use of mineral resources, is earmarked as a specific type of tourism. The article analyses the legitimacy of treating the montanistic tourism as a separate transdisciplinary field of science with its own research subject and interested people, own theoretical basis and terminology, and methodology.

Study of spatial development around the Lutoslawski bridge in Kalinowszczyzna, Lublin

This paper discusses the problem of reviving the Bystrzyca River in Lublin in the vicinity of the historic M. Lutosławski Bridge in the disctrict of Kalinowszczyzna. Historically, this area was an outer part of the city. The north-estern tract turnpike was located there. Until the twentieth century, there was a wooden bridge which was replaced by a reinforced concrete (RC) one. Currently, the space around the bridge is undeveloped. Moreover, there are no parks, recreational areas or cultural venues there. The bridge itself is a technical monument of great value. Despite general awareness of the importance of the bridge, not enough is done to protect it for posterity. The current technical assessment of the bridge indicates its grave condition resulting from rapidly developing corrosion of the carrying RC elements. The paper describes the surroundings of the bridge and contains some suggestions regarding the use of the bridge as a park avenue and as a stage for music concerts.

Industrial Complexes and their Role in Industrial Tourism – Example of Conversion

Abstract Sustainable tourism development meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and increasing its possibilities for the future. It should lead to management of all resources, so as to meet economic, social and aesthetic needs while maintaining cultural integrity, the most important ecological processes, biological diversity and the processes that make life possible. Sustainable tourism products are products that work in accordance with the local environment, society and culture so that the environment, society and culture can benefit and not to become the victims of tourism development. At present, luckily, it is possible to observe, in a wide range of tourist activities and especially in industrialized countries, also increasing interest in so-called industrial tourism aimed at exploring technical monuments. This form of tourism was initially the domain of narrow range of technically-based supporters, but gradually becomes more attractive to the broader public. This article deals with the development and transformation of tourism in the Czech Republic on an example of the Podluzi region and one of its centres - the town of Hodonin. From the tourist activities in the region those specifically attractive ones should be mentioned, which are wine and folklore tourism in close connection with gastronomical tourism and then increasingly popular cycling and water tourism. As for the cycling tourism, there are routes (related to the Greenways programme) leading so that they connect all the major winegrowing sites of the region and also the basic backbone network of cycling routes passing through the territory of the Czech Republic. The development of water tourism is closely linked to industrial tourism, where the important technical monument - the Bata’s channel is used as a waterway. The history of the town of Hodonin is briefly mentioned here in the context of the progressive industrialization of the area (lignite and hydrocarbon mining), its significant downturn and subsequent changes in tourist activities.

Four Historical Steel Bridges Over the Mureş River

On the Mures River there are some representative historical steel bridges built at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. They are located in important emplacements being an emblematical symbol for the local community. One of these structures – the bridge in Săvârşin - was successfully rehabilitated, being an example of a difficult strengthening work. In addition, the bridge in Arad, a monumental cantilever structure - a witness of the past, was renewed. The two other bridges, in Lipova and Săvârşin, are in a bad technical condition. All these structure are riveted. A duty of the present administration is to preserve these structures as historical and technical monuments. The paper describes the present situation of the structures.

Reconstruction of the Oldest Reinforced Concrete Bridge in Slovakia in Krásno nad Kysucou

Road bridge in town Krásno nad Kysucou, spanning the river Bystrica, is considered to be the oldest preserved reinforced concrete bridge in Slovakia and one of the oldest Monier type arch bridges in Central Europe, which are still in use. The bridge was completed in 1892, it survived both World Wars and served until 2014 without any major repair. However, preliminary structural analysis performed in 2012 has shown, that it is not able to safely carry the increased traffic loads according to new European standards. For this reason, and also in order to maintain this technical monument, its reconstruction was undertaken in 2014. Article deals with the description of the original bridge and its historical aspects. It also reports on mechanical properties of the 123-year-old concrete as well as on the final reconstruction of the bridge.

Villa Tugendhat as a Technical Monument - Elements of Passive Solar Architecture

AbstractThe elements of passive solar architecture are crucial for designing of low-energy and passive houses; moreover it might be surprising that some of the principles of passive solar architecture were applied in the functionalist Villa Tugendhat built in the year 1930, designed by the German architect Ludwig Miese van der Rohe and which belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage List.This case study attempts to point out the individual elements of solar architecture which were applied in the villa. In order to verify some of the statements/claims a numerical simulation of incident solar radiation (XSun) was performed in the Danish simulation software BSim. The paper includes a list of other timeless technical specifics, especially in terms of HVAC, which were used in the villa, and the authors have written about elsewhere (Villa Tugendhat – An Unique Air-conditioning System in Residential Hall. CLIMA 2013. ISBN 978-80-260-4001-9).