The state of the art of earthen architecture and vernacular built heritage comprises a complex set of issues that range from fundamental problematic recognition to anthropological and cultural studies and, more recently, to technological and experimental analyses. This paper addresses the development of the field, following the milestones of the international literature and pursuing a reflective-theory approach within a historical framework. It aims to explore the main contributions that have enhanced vernacular heritage and earthen architecture as specific domains, from pioneering public awareness essays to institutional expertise guidelines. Finally, in addition to the literature review process, this paper considers the recent corpus of recommendations from conservation management reference institutions, the updating of the operative problematic of earthen vernacular built heritage, and the relevance of local community involvement in facing increasing challenges.
Earthen heritage represents an important legacy regarding construction history and technological development, with a significant cultural value that must be preserved. According to UNESCO, around 10% of the World Heritage is built using earth, and 57% of these heritage structures are in danger. Although the interest regarding earthen heritage has grown in the last few years, there is still a significant lack of knowledge in terms of material characterization, especially from conservation science point-of-view. In particular, tests regarding water absorption are always difficult to perform with a material that changes completely when in contact with water. Indeed, due to the presence of clay particles, a normal capillarity test is almost impossible to perform. Moreover, water is responsible for a significant number of degradation phenomena often found in earthen heritage. As a result, there is an urgent need to develop suitable water repellent treatments and to evaluate their efficiency. For this reason, this study focuses on the contact sponge method to assess water absorption rates for adobe and for rammed earth specimens treated with three different water repellentssiloxane, linseed oil, and beeswax. Two sets of specimens were prepared and tested, showing that this method can represent an effective way to measure initial water absorption in earthen materials, and promising results from the tested water repellent treatments were found.
Since ancient times, natural products have been used to preserve earthen structures. Old recipes with cactus resin, bee wax, or linseed oil, have passed through generations and, in some countries, are still used nowadays. On the other hand, 20 th and 21 st centuries brought synthetic products as a solution to restore and conserve historical buildings. Although these synthetic products were extensively studied for stone-based monuments, they are also being used in earth heritage. The act of consolidating a degraded surface is, in conservation field, one of the most sensitive points, since the options available do not offer reliable solutions. Most of the times, the product applied, specifically in earth heritage, do not embrace two of the most important aspects in any conservation procedure: compatibility and reversibility. This paper aims to review the main consolidants (natural and synthetic) commonly used in earth heritage conservation, and also to draw the attention for the importance of a solid diagnosis of the initial state of conservation. With this review, it was possible to understand a lack of homogeneity in the identification of decay phenomena, as well as in recognizing its mechanisms of occurrence, and consequently in choosing the proper consolidant or treatment.
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