Durability of reinforced concrete and cultural heritage: the pompeian domus as emblematic cases

Interventions on cultural heritage have always involved the technological expertise of the time. Applications in historical monuments have in fact been prolific stage exhibition and case studies for the sponsorship of productors and technicians to improve commercial use in the more diffused ordinary buildings. The technology of reinforced concrete, since the early decades of the twentieth century has been widely used in the restoration of historic monuments and archaeological ruins. The reinforced concrete interventions have been used and abused for over 50 years starting in 1930. There are several examples of concrete as the favorite solution to repair important monuments. The first structural interventions in many Pompeian domus involved the replacement of old wooden or collapsed roofs with concrete structures similar to the old ones. Several of these roofs (realized in particular on the atriums) are nowadays visible. In some cases the heavy structure on the top of ancient masonry walls, not designed for similar loads, combined with the effects of weather (rain, change of temperature, pollution) and low -quality materials, has created the damages actually present in the fragile structure of Pompeii domus. Emblematic cases are the Vettii Domus, the Julia Felix Domus, and the Nozze d'Argento Domus. Actually several studies aimed at assessing the state of degradation and evaluating the vulnerability of the structures are in progress. In all the case-studies here presented the structural durability of reinforced concrete is a key point in the safeguard of a fragile and precious cultural heritage. This paper presents an analysis of these cases, discussing the role of reinforced concrete durability in the protection of monuments.