Theoretical and experimental dynamic analysis aimed at the improvement of an acoustic method for fresco detachment diagnosis

An acoustic non-invasive method for the diagnosis of detachment in frescos was previously proposed by the authors. This method is based on the indirect evaluation of the vibrations due to detachments, by means of a surface inspection. In this paper the relations between the dynamics of the structure to be inspected and the operational principles of the acoustic method of diagnosis are presented. The dynamic analysis is carried out using experimental investigations and analytical and numerical models. It shows that the quality of the diagnosis depends on the capability of the acoustic device to excite the structural resonances related to the detachments. These results are useful for future improvements, in particular to enhance the sensitivity of the proposed method. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.