Nondestructive Testing for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage: A practical guide and new perspective

In the field of archaeological research and the restoration of monumental heritages, the importance of nondestructive testing (NDT) survey techniques has already become widely acknowledged. The ability to gauge the extent of archaeological deposits, or to assess artefacts’ state of preservation without resorting to disruptive activities, is extremely useful in terms of better understanding a given site and approaching it in a targeted manner, for example, concerning both excavation and restoration operations. Accordingly, the purpose of this volume is to provide a general introduction to the most important NDT techniques for geophysical and micro-geophysical exploration methods, and to highlight their applications to archaeology and monumental heritage. The book covers the physical principles, methodologies, interpretational procedures, and fields of application of the various survey methods. Moreover, it introduces new instrumentation and algorithms for data acquisition and processing, making it a useful guide especially for newcomers to the field, since extensive math skills aren’t required for a general understanding of NDT methods.