Schelle, 09 June 2010.
Dear,
As producer and distributor of natural hydraulic lime and lime putty products we are contacted regularly by different institutes and organisations, which are active all over Europe in the field of restoration of our cultural built heritage, in order to transfer our specific practical and scientific knowledge on the use of lime-based materials, as well as to advise them on particular restoration projects. Institutes and organisations such as:
- English Heritage, United Kingdom
- National Trust, United Kingdom
- Ministère de la culture, Laboratoire de Recherche des Monuments Historiques, France
- Bâtiments de France, France
- Monumenten & Landschappen (Monuments and Sites), Belgium
- Rijksdienst voor de Monumentenzorg, The Netherlands
- Institut für Steinkonservierung (Dr. Auras), Germany
- UNESCO Portugal
- Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti (Mr. M..de Giorgio), Malta
- Heritage Malta (Architect Claude Borg, Architect Chanelle Busuttil), Malta
Although lime mortars and paints are already known for millennia, there remains a lot of research to be done in order to understand – even to a lesser extend – the physical, mechanical and chemical properties of lime-based materials, as well as there influence on a masonry composite structure. Therefore, we are regularly contacted by different research institutes and universities in order to collaborate in their research, as well as to share our specific scientific knowledge about the material. As such we gain ourselves, day by day, more and more scientific knowledge on the specific properties of lime-based materials as research efforts continue.
Following institutes and universities have already contacted us:
- Politecnico di Milano (Prof. L. Binda), Italy
- K.U. Leuven (Prof. D. Van Gemert, Prof. K. Van Balen), Belgium
- WTA, Germany
- WTA Vlaanderen-Nederland, The Netherlands and Belgium
- WTCB, Belgium
- TNO (Prof. R. Van Hees), The Netherlands
- T.U. Delft (Prof. C. Groot), The Netherlands
- University of Bristol, United Kingdom
- University of Giesen, Germany
Not only do we participate in existing research projects, as opportunities are offered, we set up ourselves research initiatives either in our laboratory at HD Tassullo, either at the university of Leuven (Belgium) in order to extend our scientific knowledge on lime-based materials. Our scientific advisor, msc. ir. R. Hayen, is currently working on a Ph.D. concerning the modelling of the mechanical behaviour of historic masonry structures, taking into account the triaxial brick/mortar interaction within the masonry composite. Within this field we are currently also working on an IWT-Flanders subsidised research project. Due to this scientific research we also do participate in:
- several congresses on masonry and structural engineering of historic structures
- RILEM Technical Committee on Repair Mortars
- OPTIMESS on Optical Measurement Techniques
Among others, references in UK could be :
- Summerset House (London)
- St. Pancras (London)
- Royal Court of Justice (London)
- Castle Drogo (Devon)
- Dover Castle (Kent)
- Ville Au Veslet (St. Lawrence)
- Nymans House (Sussex)
- St. Barnabus Archive Centre (Barn)
- Middleton Hall (Warwickshire)
Our specific practical and scientific knowledge, as well as our laboratory facilities enable us to work out specific solutions and material compositions in the case specific restoration demands urge us to do so. As such we are able to present case-specific solutions and materials if needed.
We remain at your disposal for answering your questions and giving you advice in order to establish the best possible solution given a certain restoration.
Yours Sincerely
Marc Swolfs - Director