Crack-Growth on Canvas Paintings during Transport Simulation Monitored with Digital Holographic Speckle Interferometry

A study is herein presented aiming to detect structure cohesion failure before its appearance in form of cracks on precious painted canvas surfaces subjected to transportation. Transportation is of prime importance for the deterioration mechanisms that disintegrate the structural condition of movable painted artworks. Cracking is most common result of intense transportation and most common cause of reduced state of conservation. Here two realistic conditions are encountered in the laboratory to simulate transportation effects: A transport simulator that reproduces transportation vibrations and a high resolution portable system based on optical coherent metrology technique that monitors in real time the surface response. The measurements were carried out on canvas samples with known defects. The known defects, existing and indications of new cracks. Their propagation effects were revealed. Preliminary results obtained in this study are encouraging for significant assessment of transportation effects in crack growth and propagation studies through real time monitoring of canvas surface.