Interdisciplinary App-Programming for The Protection of Artworks (Part I): A Calculator of Backingboard Constructions For Canvas Paintings
Kracht K,
Kim H,
Ohlsen J,
Lipp F,
Hoffmann N
Research, presentation, education, and preservation are the four main tasks of museums. The presentation
of art works in permanent and temporary exhibitions results in mechanical stress from vibrations and
shocks. Early or late damage to the fragile objects is therefore foreseeable. In preventive conservation,
measures are being researched to avoid this risk. For example, to protect canvas paintings from shock
and vibration, backingboard constructions are applied.
This paper focuses on developing an app to automate the developing process of backingboard
constructions and help conservators make informed decisions when selecting backingboard material
combinations. The paper explains the simplification of a complex backingboard construction
calculation method, on which the backingboard app is based, and the technical decisions, user interface
development. Additionally, the app's program structure is revealed.
The evaluation process of the developed app comprised two phases: a user-friendliness questionnaire
and a comparison of the first natural frequencies of original paintings, calculated using the app, with
FEA calculations and measurement data. Through iterative improvements, the app was significantly
optimized in terms of usability and functionality.
The results show that the vibration behavior of canvas paintings with linear or slightly nonlinear
properties can be very well represented using the backingboard app accessible by the url www.
backingboard.app. Recommendations for backingboard designs based on this knowledge typically
result in vibration reductions of between 60 and 80 %. In contrast, backingboard designs developed
without considering the vibration behavior of the paintings and the principle of subsystem distuning
generally exhibit a maximum reduction of 40%.
