ART-RISK 3.0 a fuzzy—based platform that combine GIS and expert assessments for conservation strategies in cultural heritage

Abstract

Heritage preservation poses numerous difficulties, especially in emergency situations or during budget cuts. In these contexts, having tools that facilitate efficient and rapid management of hazards-vulnerabilities is a priority for the preventive conservation and triage of cultural assets.

This paper presents the first (to the authors' knowledge) free and public availability Artificial Intelligence platform designed for conservation strategies in cultural heritage. Art-Risk 3.0 is a platform designed as a fuzzy-logic inference system that combines information from geographical information system maps with expert assessments, in order to identify the contextual threat level and the degree of vulnerability that heritage buildings present. Thanks to the possibilities that the geographic information system offers, 12 Spanish churches (11th - 16th centuries) were analyzed. The artificial intelligence platform developed makes it possible to analyze the index of hazard, vulnerability and functionality, classify buildings according to the risk in order to do a sustainable use of budgets through the rational management of preventive conservation.

The data stored in the system allows identify the danger due to geotechnics, precipitation, torrential downpour, thermal oscillation, frost, earthquake and flooding. Through the use of fuzzy logic, the tool interrelates environmental conditions with 14 other variables related to structural risks and the vulnerability of buildings, which are evaluated through bibliographic search and review of photographic images.

The geographic information system has identified torrential rains and thermal oscillations as the environmental threats that mostly impact heritage buildings in Spain.

The results obtained highlight the Church of Santiago de Jesús as the most vulnerable building due to a lack of preventive conservation programs. These results, consistent with the inclusion of this monument on the list of heritage at risk defined by Hispania Nostra, corroborate the functionality of the model.