Diagnostic and colorimetric analyses

The Centre formulates also procedures of digital acquisition of surface specifications, including chromatic descriptions, material and morphological aspects, macroscopic alterations linked to degradation; one of the aims is to identify connections between structural specifications and states of alteration and degradation provided by the external reconnaissance picture; this kind of investigation is also developed through the processing of reflection data acquired in the 3D scanner laser ray reading (limited to a precise band of the spectrum).
By means of the laser scanner technology an experimentation about the reflectance data started. The reflectance data are acquired by the laser scanner as well as the metric data. Reflectance is the intensityof the laser beam at the moment of the “impact” with the object to be surveyed and it allows the visual recognition of the different materials, of the surface specifications and state of conservation.
This kind of investigation are performed by processing the reflection data and was followed by a more detailed analysis of the colorimetric data based on spectrophotometer techniques. These techniques are integrated with microscopic direct observations by using both indirect and side light in order to identify and to understand the significant features and surface specifications of the surfaces, the morphological aspects, the macroscopic alterations linked to degradation, the former interventions of restoration, ancient and modern stratigraphies, original manufacturing, etc.
This makes it possible to supply an initial categorization of materials, to be followed by a subsequent comparison with colorimetric data acquired with spectrophotometric systems.