Diagnosis and methods against rising damp in industrial heritage buildings: a case study in Italy

The presence of water and rising damp in particular is the most relevant cause of decay in historic buildings. Degradation processes such as biological growth, frost and salt crystallization arise or are intensified in the presence of rising damp and its relevance is expected to increase in the future, due to climate changes. Treatment against rising damp is therefore generally advised for protection and durable conservation of historic buildings. The JPI - CH Project "Effectiveness of methods against rising damp in buildings: European practice and perspective - EMERISDA" aimed at a scientifically based evaluation of the effectiveness of different methods against rising damp and decision support tool definition for a conscious choice use of these methods in the practice of conservation. During the present contribution, the main results obtained for the case study in Ferrara (Italia) will be discussed. Specifically, the treatments applied and the methodological approach for their effectiveness assessment will be presented. The rising damp is the most relevant cause of decay in historic buildings as it causes biological growth, frost and salt crystallization arise. Its relevance is expected to increase in the future, due to climate changes. Treatment against rising damp is therefore generally advised for protection and durable conservation of historic buildings. The JPICH EMERISDA Project aimed at a scientifically based evaluation of the effectiveness of different methods against rising damp and definition of a decision support tool for a conscious choice use of these methods in the practice of conservation. The treatments applied and the methodological approach for their effectiveness assessment will be presented for Ferrara (Italia) case study.