A comparative assessment for the use of high-performance coatings in the conservation of a 20th century coastal artillery collection

Smith, William 2024. A comparative assessment for the use of high-performance coatings in the conservation of a 20th century coastal artillery collection. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

Preview	PDF (William Smith, PhD, Thesis) - Accepted Post-Print Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (13MB) | Preview
	PDF (Cardiff University Electronic Publication Form) - Supplemental Material Restricted to Repository staff only Download (145kB)

Abstract

English Heritages’ 20th century artillery collection is primarily displayed across the coastal castles and forts within their care. The coastal environment, high in chloride content, makes the ferrous metals of the 20th century guns prone to corrosion. This can cause a large amount of corrosion in short period of time if protective coatings applied to the surface of the guns are not properly maintained. Due to the high costs associated with the application of the coatings and the risk of damage which could occur if not adequate and timely maintenance, it is important that conservation methods employed by English Heritage provide good longevity and require in-frequent reapplication. While a treatment plan is currently employed by English Heritage, there is a limited evidence-base of research to support the selection of the chosen coating system over other similar systems available on the market. This study supports the decision-making process for choosing a coating system by carrying out a comparative study between different coatings systems. This involved identifying factors which are considered to be key characteristics for impeding the longevity or suitability of the system for use long term in English Heritages’ collection. These characteristics were investigated by accelerated aging and in situ site ageing experiment. This information is then compared and contrasted to generate a cost benefit analysis for the use of different systems within the treatment plan, to assist conservators in the selection of the most suitable system based on the required characteristics.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > History, Archaeology and Religion
Subjects:	A General Works > AM Museums (General). Collectors and collecting (General)
Funders:	Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	9 April 2025
Date of Acceptance:	5 March 2025
Last Modified:	10 Apr 2025 08:20
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/177502

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item