1st Edition

Art Conservation Mechanical Properties and Testing of Materials

By W. (Bill) Wei Copyright 2025
182 Pages 26 Color & 46 B/W Illustrations
by Jenny Stanford Publishing

182 Pages 26 Color & 46 B/W Illustrations
by Jenny Stanford Publishing

Conservators and other museum professionals face a large number of issues involving the mechanical behavior of materials, including questions on craquelure, restoring physically damaged objects, art in transport, or the selection of adhesives. However, science in conservation and museum studies curricula often focus primarily on chemistry. This book fills this important gap in conservation... Read more

1. Introduction

2. Static Mechanical Properties

3. Dynamic Mechanical Properties

4. Mechanical Testing

5. Advanced Concepts

Biography

W. (Bill) Wei was a senior conservation scientist at the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, Amsterdam, until his retirement in 2021, and is now an independent consultant. He has a BSE in mechanical engineering (Princeton University, 1977) and a PhD in materials science (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1983). Before working in cultural heritage, he spent almost 20 years in industrial materials research and development in the areas of fracture mechanics, fatigue, and corrosion. Dr. Wei has since been conducting research and consulting on the effects of vibrations and mechanical stresses on the condition of fragile works of art for more than 20 years. He also conducts research on perception related to conservation treatments and object appearance, risks for objects due to mechanical loads, and conservation ethics.