Conservation of Earthen Bricks in Architecture: An Experimental Campaign to Test Different Treatments on Vernacular Built Heritage

Earthen architecture, by its nature, is a fragile because it has poor resistance toward the action of weathering, which also increased in recent years through effects climate change. The presence interesting examples earthen brick buildings, for example, Piedmont Region Italy, characterised absence rendering, reveals need to test treatments protection and/or strengthening walls these buildings. This fundamental importance improve aggressive atmospheric agents and avoid their disappearance. A testing campaign adopting protective products with sustainability characteristics low environmental impact was carried out on walls. Different belonging various categories (synthetic polymers, natural resins, nano-structured materials) selected based previous experiments or tested first time surfaces were selected. performance assessment taking into account standardised procedures field cultural heritage conservation following tests: water absorption, vapour permeability, drilling resistance, erosion tests (Geelong spray), contact angle measurements, colorimetric ageing tests. Although choice optimal product should be made case-by-case basis, where not sustainable proceed this way, results experimental campaign—in materials weathering conditions similar those case study analysed—will provide indications identifying most appropriate product.