Study of water mass transfer dynamics in frescoes by dielectric spectroscopy

The knowledge of moisture content (M C) is essential for determining the state of preservation of various types of hand-work: from building materials such as bricks and concrete, to objects of artistic value, in particular frescoes and mural paintings. In all above, moisture is the primary source of damages, as it affects the durability of porous materials. Dielectric properties of porous materials are strongly affected by the presence of water, suggesting dielectric spectroscopy as a suitable non-invasive diagnostic technique. The development of a quantitative relationship between M C and permittivity requires to investigate the dynamics of water mass transfer in porous media, and to determine its effect on the dielectric properties. In this paper a coupled mass transfer/dielectric problem is introduced and solved numerically, based on a finite element model. Results are compared to experimental dielectric measurements performed on plaster samples by the open coaxial method. The application of the dielectric technique to frescoes monitoring is proposed, showing the results obtained is an on-site study.