Periodic Reporting for period 1 - TECTONIC (TEchnological Consortium TO develop sustaiNabIlity of underwater Cultural heritage)
Período documentado: 2020-02-01 hasta 2023-11-30
Documentation and Conservation of Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH) are crucial to preserving humankind’s history and traditions, safeguarding tangible testimonies of past human life while ensuring its accessibility to present and future generations. Moving from these considerations, the overall objective of the TECTONIC project is to promote an intersectoral collaboration between academic and non-academic professionals working on different topics in the field of UCH, and to support the exchange of skills and expertise between them, to implement, improve and assess innovative materials, techniques, tools, and methodologies suitable for the protection of UCH. The application of research findings, the improvement of knowledge, and the dissemination of results will be fundamental to improving approaches to securing and preserving materials of historical/archaeological interest lying underwater, ensuring enjoyment for future generations, for society, encouraging the accessibility of underwater sites for both insiders and not. The experimentation of innovative technologies for the inspection, documentation, data acquisition, and protection of UCHs could provide solutions for addressing challenges still existing in the UCH sector.
More specifically, to achieve its overall aim, the TECTONIC project consortium will undertake innovation and development activities, driven by the following objectives:
• The study, documentation, and 3D reconstruction of the selected pilot sites;
• Development of decision support tools for UCH risk assessment in a changing environment;
• Implementation of studies, protocols, and suitable procedures for preservation/conservation activities;
• Development of open and low-cost robotic solutions for the inspection, documentation, and monitoring of UCH;
• Raising public awareness and knowledge about the importance to preserve the underwater historical and archaeological heritage.
All the exchanges will be supported by specific training programs and in-lab and on-the-field activities. They will be devoted to stimulating new ideas that would bring the development of new marketable products by capitalizing on the research results that will be achieved in the project, creating a link between business, research, and higher education. The activities to achieve the TECTONIC objectives are based on an intersectoral and interdisciplinary approach, that covers a diversity of stakeholders, i.e. scientists, companies, public bodies, businesses, etc., also including possible relevant stakeholders and society. Based on the results that will gradually be achieved, cross-country and cross-discipline participation in national and international events (i.e. conferences, fairs, workshops, etc.) will be encouraged for the dissemination of results.TECTONIC is coordinated by the University of Calabria (UNICAL) and structured in 7 WPs to achieve an efficient realization of the project’s objectives.
More specifically, to achieve its overall aim, the TECTONIC project consortium will undertake innovation and development activities, driven by the following objectives:
• The study, documentation, and 3D reconstruction of the selected pilot sites;
• Development of decision support tools for UCH risk assessment in a changing environment;
• Implementation of studies, protocols, and suitable procedures for preservation/conservation activities;
• Development of open and low-cost robotic solutions for the inspection, documentation, and monitoring of UCH;
• Raising public awareness and knowledge about the importance to preserve the underwater historical and archaeological heritage.
All the exchanges will be supported by specific training programs and in-lab and on-the-field activities. They will be devoted to stimulating new ideas that would bring the development of new marketable products by capitalizing on the research results that will be achieved in the project, creating a link between business, research, and higher education. The activities to achieve the TECTONIC objectives are based on an intersectoral and interdisciplinary approach, that covers a diversity of stakeholders, i.e. scientists, companies, public bodies, businesses, etc., also including possible relevant stakeholders and society. Based on the results that will gradually be achieved, cross-country and cross-discipline participation in national and international events (i.e. conferences, fairs, workshops, etc.) will be encouraged for the dissemination of results.TECTONIC is coordinated by the University of Calabria (UNICAL) and structured in 7 WPs to achieve an efficient realization of the project’s objectives.
TECTONIC is structured with 7 WPs. The Coordination started in February 2020. Taking a general overview, research activities, and secondments officially started in 2022. TECTONIC has suffered severe slowdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From a scientific point of view, the progress of the project achieved to November 2023 will be described below for each WPs.
WP1–The project has assessed and elaborated a general state-of-the-art analysis of UCH located worldwide with particular attention on the Italian pilot site: The MPA Capo Rizzuto. To date 1.2 & 1.3 have all started and are still ongoing, while Tasks 1.1 is closed. At present, no delays in the delivery of the deliverables are foreseen.
WP2–To date, tasks T2.1 and T1.2 have started and are still ongoing. At present, no delays in the delivery of the deliverables are foreseen. Several secondments within this WP have been carried out. Additionally, the KTA was delivered and various papers were presented at the annual DCAI Conference, with a special session organized in the frame of the TECTONIC.
WP3–To date, Tasks 3.1and3.2 have all started and are still ongoing. The activities are mainly taking place at the laboratories of the SYNPO company with the support of the UNICAL laboratories. The laboratory experiments will be moved to the sea, as soon as the laboratory testing is completed, at one of the pilot sites of the project. The formulated products will be tested in a marine environment.
WP4–Currently, all tasks are in progress and Task 4.1 is closed. Continuous exchange of information is taking place periodically among the three partners involved in this WP: UNICAL, H2O, and USAL.
WP5–The specific objectives of this WP concern the communication and dissemination for transferring project results. All partners are fully involved in this WP and the dissemination and training activities are taking place above all during the secondments at the host sites, with the organization of seminars, for the exchange of skills and good practices between academic and non-academic researchers. Furthermore, some partners including UNICAL, H20, USAL, ISAC-CNR and 3DR, organized workshops and conference sessions in the context of TECTONIC. 3DR partner is managing communication through the website and social channels.
WP6 – The activities and specific objectives of this WP concern the Project Management for which the coordinator is responsible. A kick-off meeting took place at the University of Calabria, on 27 February 2020, and a mid-term project meeting online, 5 June 2023. A Consortium Agreement between all TECTONIC partners was established. The EC’s scientific project officer has been informed regularly on the progress of the project.
WP7 – The WP concern ethics requirements; to date, the 'ethics requirements' have been met and no particular requests to the competent authorities or bodies have been necessary.
WP1–The project has assessed and elaborated a general state-of-the-art analysis of UCH located worldwide with particular attention on the Italian pilot site: The MPA Capo Rizzuto. To date 1.2 & 1.3 have all started and are still ongoing, while Tasks 1.1 is closed. At present, no delays in the delivery of the deliverables are foreseen.
WP2–To date, tasks T2.1 and T1.2 have started and are still ongoing. At present, no delays in the delivery of the deliverables are foreseen. Several secondments within this WP have been carried out. Additionally, the KTA was delivered and various papers were presented at the annual DCAI Conference, with a special session organized in the frame of the TECTONIC.
WP3–To date, Tasks 3.1and3.2 have all started and are still ongoing. The activities are mainly taking place at the laboratories of the SYNPO company with the support of the UNICAL laboratories. The laboratory experiments will be moved to the sea, as soon as the laboratory testing is completed, at one of the pilot sites of the project. The formulated products will be tested in a marine environment.
WP4–Currently, all tasks are in progress and Task 4.1 is closed. Continuous exchange of information is taking place periodically among the three partners involved in this WP: UNICAL, H2O, and USAL.
WP5–The specific objectives of this WP concern the communication and dissemination for transferring project results. All partners are fully involved in this WP and the dissemination and training activities are taking place above all during the secondments at the host sites, with the organization of seminars, for the exchange of skills and good practices between academic and non-academic researchers. Furthermore, some partners including UNICAL, H20, USAL, ISAC-CNR and 3DR, organized workshops and conference sessions in the context of TECTONIC. 3DR partner is managing communication through the website and social channels.
WP6 – The activities and specific objectives of this WP concern the Project Management for which the coordinator is responsible. A kick-off meeting took place at the University of Calabria, on 27 February 2020, and a mid-term project meeting online, 5 June 2023. A Consortium Agreement between all TECTONIC partners was established. The EC’s scientific project officer has been informed regularly on the progress of the project.
WP7 – The WP concern ethics requirements; to date, the 'ethics requirements' have been met and no particular requests to the competent authorities or bodies have been necessary.
The main objective of TECTONIC is the exchange of expertise and good practices in the UCH sector, to improve knowledge of cultural resources lying underwater and how to manage them for proper protection. The project also aims to inform even non-experts and to increase the awareness of the general public on the importance of cultural heritage from submerged environments.The underlying premise of TECTONIC is that investigations and surveys carried out on UCHs, properly selected as pilot sites within the project, are fundamental for improving knowledge, knowing and mapping the submerged cultural assets, making them accessible to all, overcoming some challenges (i.e. protecting UCH against climate change), and encouraging tourism ed economy in coastal areas.
TECTONIC will help achieve integrated and interdisciplinary action by implementing UCHs protection and knowledge actions, through new common strategies.
TECTONIC’s training, dissemination, and communication activities are designed to establish a long-term process of sharing practices, results, and methods that guarantee the protection of the UCHs.
The impact of the project will be enhanced not only by the academic sector involved in the research activities but also by the companies involved and society in general contributing to the achievement of the goals and main milestones. The success of the project in achieving the main objectives has been indicated already by the actual number of staff members (secondees) from different countries of the partnership, so far engaged in secondments, carrying out workshops and training activities.
TECTONIC will help achieve integrated and interdisciplinary action by implementing UCHs protection and knowledge actions, through new common strategies.
TECTONIC’s training, dissemination, and communication activities are designed to establish a long-term process of sharing practices, results, and methods that guarantee the protection of the UCHs.
The impact of the project will be enhanced not only by the academic sector involved in the research activities but also by the companies involved and society in general contributing to the achievement of the goals and main milestones. The success of the project in achieving the main objectives has been indicated already by the actual number of staff members (secondees) from different countries of the partnership, so far engaged in secondments, carrying out workshops and training activities.