Artworks diagnostic by Shearography and 3D scanning

Abstract

Nowadays, the demand for advanced diagnostic tools for investigating artworks and monitoring their health state in a non-destructive way is growing fast. In this frame, detecting and preventing the formation of damages or assessing them for an accurate pre-restoration analysis are the main goals of non-destructive investigation. In this work, the combined use of Shearography (SH) and structured light 3D (SL3D) scanning, as a multimodal tool for cultural heritage artifacts diagnostic, have been employed on different artworks, i.e. canvas, wooden panels, and wall paintings. Both techniques are non-invasive, full field, contactless, and can provide relevant information about state of conservation and the quality of restoration work. Moreover, they can be applied in situ, without the need to move the artworks. The combined investigation can allow us to expand the understanding of the results of each individual technique, from which, in many cases, no exclusive assumption is possible. The analysis includes detection of detachments, micro-cracks, inclusions, hidden damages, and information about the surface profile. It is also possible to monitor in real time the behavior of the investigated objects due to environmental changes. This study also shows how the visual merge of the SH and SL3D scanning can offer a useful direct approach to the analysis of the artworks.