Mitigating Harmful Effects of Climate Warming on Ceiling Paintings by Ceiling Insulation: An Evaluation Using Timed IR Imaging and Numeric Modelling

Günther Kain, Friedrich Idam, Alfons Huber, Martin Mudri, Alexander Petutschnigg and Markus Goldsteiner
Additional contact information
Günther Kain: Department for Forest Products Technology and Timber Construction, Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Markt 136a, 5431 Kuchl, Austria
Friedrich Idam: Department for Wood Restoration Technology, Higher Technical College Hallstatt, Lahnstraße 69, 4830 Hallstatt, Austria
Alfons Huber: Independent Researcher, Herbeckstraße 62/8, 1180 Vienna, Austria
Martin Mudri: Mudri Measuring Technology, Schanzelgasse 20/3, 8010 Graz, Austria
Alexander Petutschnigg: Department for Forest Products Technology and Timber Construction, Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Markt 136a, 5431 Kuchl, Austria
Markus Goldsteiner: Bundestheater-Holding GmbH, Goethegasse 1, 1010 Vienna, Austria

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Due to climate change, ceiling paintings in many historic buildings are subjected to increasingly high short-term temperature change, resulting in high thermal tension caused by the construction assembly. This article focuses on the combined use of timed IR imaging and numeric modelling to evaluate insulation measures on the upper side of a ceiling to reduce thermal tensions in the painting layers, overheating in summer as well as cooling down in winter. As a model room, the southern splendour stair hall in the Burgtheater Vienna was chosen. Famous ceiling paintings created from 1886 to 1888 by Gustav Klimt and his brother Ernst Klimt can be found on this ceiling. The results show that timed IR imaging is an adequate tool to study the transient thermal behaviour of ceiling paintings which are not accessible to standard sensor measurements. Moreover, it could be shown that the presented measurement technique is well suited to validate a numeric model. The latter was applied to evaluate the potential insulation on the top of the ceiling. It was shown that cooling loads and energy loss in the room underneath can be reduced and most importantly the thermal stress in painting layers is reduced. The findings are relevant as, due to global warming, the current situation in many buildings is worsening. Considering the great intangible cultural value of many ceiling paintings, the application of the presented evaluation strategy for building physical boundaries on a ceiling with paintings seems to be appropriate.

Keywords: ceiling insulation; infrared thermography; secco painting; FE modelling; thermal tensions; overheating protection; simple smart buildings (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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