An operative protocol for reliable measurements of moisture in porous materials of ancient buildings

As moisture is the main cause or concause of decay of ancient building materials, a wide range of measurement techniques is presently applied for detecting its presence in structures. Nevertheless, the most common techniques often provide only qualitative results or not fully repeatable data, which is a severe problem when continuous monitoring of structures is required against moisture damage. In this paper, an operative protocol for moisture measurement is proposed, which is based on the gravimetric method and provides true reliable data when periodical measurements must be carried out, particularly when assessment of dehumidification treatments, materials and technologies is required in ancient, historical buildings. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.