Effectiveness of electromagnetic and electro-osmosis methods for the treatment of rising damp

Rising damp is a very common phenomenon and one of the most important threats for historical buildings. In this paper two non-invasive systems are studied, the first one is based on the interaction of pulsed electromagnetic waves with the porous materials and the second one is based on the active electro-osmosis principle where the natural difference in electric potential between the walls and the ground is annihilated. Within the light of the debates on the real efficiency against rising damp of such techniques in preservation of historical monuments the last 5 years, the development of such an objective test method and the outcomes of the two tested systems provided important findings for the heritage community.
Heritage & Technology