From Thermal Signatures to Conservation Insights: A Fixed Camera Network Approach for Heritage Structure Health Monitoring

Giandomenico Mastrantoni, Jessica Clementi, Antonio Molinari, Ioannis Farmakis, Paolo Mazzanti

Abstract

Heritage masonry structures face increasing deterioration risks that require continuous monitoring to enable timely conservation interventions, yet current thermal assessment methods rely on periodic surveys that fail to capture dynamic thermal behaviour patterns. This study presents the implementation of a continuous thermal monitoring system using three fixed infrared cameras (Mobotix M73) for 24/7 monitoring of historic wall sections in Rome. Thermal images acquired at 30-minute intervals were processed using custom-developed algorithms for temporal series extraction, edge detection analysis, and master-slave image comparison to characterize thermal signatures and identify structural anomalies. Results demonstrate distinct thermal behaviour patterns across monitored sections depending on material composition and structural characteristics. Edge detection successfully identified thermal discontinuities corresponding to documented structural fractures and material interfaces, while comparative analysis revealed spatial heating heterogeneity indicative of conservation state variations. The correlation between thermal signatures and known structural vulnerabilities validates continuous thermal monitoring as a non-invasive early warning system for heritage deterioration processes, offering significant potential for preventive conservation strategies and real-time structural health assessment of cultural heritage assets.

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IMEKO-Metroarchaeo-2025-056.pdf

DOI

10.21014/tc26-2025.056

IMEKO TC

TC26 - Metrology for Cultural Heritage

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