Cultural heritage (CH) sites often face increasing risks from climate change (CC) & various hazards. Risks such as land deformation, rising sea levels, floods, extreme weather events, environmental degradation, erosion & water-related hazards pose significant threats to CH. While substantial efforts are reported on safeguarding CH sites, there remains a lack of systematic approaches in identifying & mitigating risks to CH sites.
TRIQUETRA proposes a technological toolbox & a methodological framework for tackling CC risks & natural hazards threatening CH in the most efficient way possible. Its main strategic objectives include: creation of a repository of knowledge on effects of CC & natural hazards on CH; identification of upcoming risks & hazards to CH; use of novel technologies for efficient & accurate quantification of threats to CH; increased awareness of the public regarding CH risks & preservation.
The project’s methodology is structured around 3 fundamental stages: identifying, quantifying & mitigating risks (“trifecta” approach). This approach constructs a robust framework for evaluating & addressing the following categories of risks: climate-related risks; extreme water, snow & ice hazard risks; geological & geophysical risks; chemical & biological risks. Furthermore, it assesses the damage & failure modes of CH structures and the compounded effects of various environmental stressors on CH sites. TRIQUETRA will be validated in 8 CH sites.
The above strategic objectives are fulfilled by achieving the following: assessing the precision of flash LiDAR for 3D mapping of underwater CH sites & validating its applicability for erosion monitoring; developing a novel spectroscopic sensor for water quality monitoring; further increasing the accuracy of climatic models; developing models on risk quantification stemming from water, ice & snow extreme events, for geohazard risks & for structural damage risks; assessing chemical & biological hazards based on in-situ sensing; providing novel techniques for application of remote sensing in CH sites; developing a platform that allows multi-hazard impact assessment & acts as an advanced DSS towards risk mitigation & CH site remediation.