Title: “Monitoring temperature and humidity in UK theatres”
Abstract
R J Ball, B Dams, X Kong, V Cascone, J Stewart, M Ansell, M Harney From the late 19th century, many high-status buildings in the UK, such as theatres, banks, clubs and hotels were decorated using fibrous plaster, a composite consisting of hessian (Jute) fibers embedded within a gypsum plaster matrix. The fast-setting time of gypsum enabled the material to be manufactured in sections off site and then quickly installed providing a much cheaper alternative to lime-based plasters. Many of these ceilings still exist today, particularly in historic theatres. Research at Bath has shown that much existing historic material has degraded especially due to weakening of the hessian fibers, attributed to moisture and biological attack from fungi. A key factor in the degradation process is the environmental conditions to which the fibrous plaster is exposed. Following a background of historic fibrous plaster, this talk will introduce some of the factors which influence the temperature and humidity in UK theatres. Some initial results from monitoring will be presented demonstrating the typical ranges of temperature and humidity measured, and how these vary a different locations within a theatre and throughout the year.
About the Speaker
Dr Richard Ball is a Reader in the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering at the University of Bath. He graduated from the University of Bath with a BEng in Materials Science and Engineering and later completed a PhD in Materials Science also at Bath. He has published over 100 papers in refereed international journals covering batteries, fuel cells, solar cells, ceramics, composites, NDT, sensors, sustainable construction materials and air quality. Recent research has focused on the development of novel coatings for buildings to help improve air quality, air quality in refugee camps around the world, and the degradation of fibrous plaster ceilings in the UK. He is a chartered engineer, chartered scientist and a fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.
