ATHENA

A novel approach Towards the management of building materials of particular Historical-artistic interest: assessment of the radon Exhalation and the radiological risk due to Natural radioActivity content (PNRR - Missione 4, Componente 2, Investimento 1.1 - Bando Prin 2022 PNRR - Decreto Direttoriale n. 1409 del 14-09-2022)

WELCOME TO THE PRIN 2022 PNRR ATHENA (CUP J53D23014560001) WEB SITE

Which target?

THE MAIN TARGET OF THE ATHENA PROJECT IS TO DEFINE AN INNOVATIVE PROTOCOL FOR THE SYSTEMATIC CHARACTERISATION OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS USED IN BUILDINGS OF PARTICULAR HISTORICAL AND ARTISTIC INTEREST, PARTICULARLY IN TERMS OF RADON GAS EXHALATION RATES.

The project involves five operational units: the University of Messina (RU1, Project Leader), the 'Mediterranea' University of Reggio Calabria (RU2), the University of Salerno (RU3), the University of Calabria (RU4) and the University of Cagliari (RU5).

THE GROUP

RESEARCH

PUBBLICATIONS

Why it is important what we do

The development of ad-hoc techniques and protocols for the quantitative assessment of the natural radioactivity content in building materials, pre- and post-treatment (ageing, consolidation) can play a key role in the field of cultural heritage, considering that materials potentially enriched with radionuclides of natural origin have been used in the past to construct monuments of particular historical and artistic interest.

OUR MILESTONES

MILESTONE 1

To assess any possible radiological risk for the human beings related to outdoor exposure to gamma rays from building materials of interest in the field of cultural heritage.

MILESTONE 2

To identify the most effective long-stable consolidating agent which minimize the radon exhalation rate while maintaining high compatibility with the substrate, in view of a rationalized selection of a restoration procedure to be applied to building materials.

MILESTONE 3

To clarify the correlation between the fundamental properties of the investigated building stones and the calculated radon exhalation rates, in order to improve the indoor environmental air quality.