Underground wine cellars represent a fragile form of cultural heritage, where long-term microclimatic imbalance can lead to material degradation, structural instability, and internal collapses. High humidity, limited ventilation, and the difficulty of access complicate both diagnosis and conservation. This study presents preliminary results from a preventive monitoring strategy applied to the underground wine cellars of Baltanás (Palencia, Spain), focusing on temperature, relative humidity, wall moisture content, and ventilation as key drivers of deterioration. A wireless network of commercial temperature–humidity sensors, wall moisture probes, and airflow sensors was deployed in four sections of a representative cellar over a monitoring period exceeding two years. In addition, mobile monitoring was performed using a quadruped robot equipped with a rotating environmental sensing module, enabling measurements in confined and unstable areas. Results reveal strong thermal inertia, persistently high relative humidity frequently approaching saturation, low and intermittent natural ventilation, and sustained internal wall moisture. These conditions are consistent with observed material decay and internal landslides. The monitoring with quadruped robot proved particularly valuable for identifying localized humidity pockets and stagnant air zones beyond the reach of fixed sensors. The study demonstrates how different solutions for monitoring can support preventive conservation strategies for subterranean heritage, providing a scalable framework for early risk detection and informed management decisions.

This paper presents a Python-based in-house software developed to control a cable-driven parallel robot (CDPR) system for non-destructive testing of large structures. The system integrates tomographic techniques using sonic and electromagnetic waves to assess the integrity of historic masonry and fa & ccedil;ades. Precise, repeatable robot movements enable high-resolution imaging, overcoming limitations of manual inspection. A controlled impact mechanism generates sonic waves, while a commercial ground-penetrating radar (GPR) replaces the impact system for electromagnetic tomography. This automated approach improves efficiency, reduces human error, and minimizes physical impact on delicate structures, confirming CDPR tomography as a viable method for largescale evaluation.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with lightweight gas sensors offer a promising means of monitoring localized pollutant emissions. However, airflow generated by multirotor propellers can disturb the surrounding atmosphere and affect measured gas concentrations. This study investigates the influence of rotor-induced downwash on vehicle exhaust plume measurements through a combined experimental and numerical approach. Experimental measurements were conducted using a stationary diesel vehicle operating at idle, while a propeller-based system reproduced UAV downwash at heights between 0.5 and 5.5 m above a fixed CO2 sensor. A low-cost Feather-based sensing platform was evaluated against a commercial IoTSens monitoring station. Complementary CFD simulations were performed in OpenFOAM using a compressible multi-species solver, Large Eddy Simulation (LES), and a Multiple Reference Frame (MRF) approach. Experimental measurements showed CO2 reductions of up to 52.7%, while CFD predicted reductions between 50.4% and 88.5%. Both approaches identified a transition in plume–wake interaction, with the strongest effects occurring below approximately 2–3 m. These findings demonstrate that UAV height is a critical parameter affecting gas-sensing accuracy and should be considered when designing UAV-based environmental monitoring missions.

The upcoming JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) (ESA) and Europa Clipper (NASA) missions will perform detailed observations of the giant gaseous planet Jupiter and three of its largest moons (Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa).A series of experiments was performed to measure the thermal conductivity and calorimetry of macroscopic frozen salt solutions of particular interest in Jovian icy moons. The following salts were investigated: Na-chloride (NaCl), Mg-sulphate (MgSO4), sodium sulphate (Na2SO4), and Magnesium chloride (MgCl2). Measurements were performed at atmospheric pressure and temperatures from 0 to -70ºC in a climatic chamber. Temperature and thermal conductivity were measured during the course of the experiments. A small sample of the liquid salt-water solution was set aside for the calorimetry measurements. A side effect of the measurements is that they served to spot phase changes in the ice mixtures with high sensitivity. An important result is that, the phase changes observed in the standard calorimetric tests, could be monitored in situ with high sensitivity in the thermal conductivity measurements. Indeed, when a phase change occurs, a large peak appeared in the thermal conductivity values as the result of the natural heat release that accompanied the phase change.

The paper evaluates the sensitivity of sonic tomography imaging of historic masonry structures to variations in stress level and damage. Six stone masonry walls with different geometries representative of historical typologies were constructed by a professional mason. A laboratory campaign was carried out, subjecting the walls to cyclic uniaxial compression tests. During the test, an automated sonic tomography system was used to inspect the wall under loading cycles of increasing amplitude, which led to obtain tomographic images during loading and compare them under different stress level and damage condition. The use of robotic systems was proved essential to carry out the sonic inspections simultaneously to the compression tests. Results show that sonic wave propagation is not only sensitive to damage level, but also to the stress state. Thus, sonic tomography has the potential to be used to measure damage and stress level of masonry components over time, for example during renovation works on an existing construction.

In the coming years The JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) (ESA) and Europa Clipper (NASA) missions will study the icy crusts of the main Galilean moons of Jupiter. They will use the penetrating radars RIME and REASON, which will work at wave frequency ranges able to penetrate up to 9 and 30 Km depth respectively, in combination with other instruments [Bruzzone et al. 2013, Aglyamov et al. 2017]. In this regard, we have started a set of experiments to study the electrical properties of materials at low temperatures with the aim to help with the interpretation obtained from the level of attenuation of the radar waves. Ultimately, they will be useful to constrain the chemical composition, physical state and temperature of the upper layers of the icy crusts of Ganymede, Callisto and Europa (please see abstracts EPSC González Díaz et al. 2020 and EPSC Solomonidou et al. 2020). The first set of experiments have been done in a high-pressure chamber equipped with pressure and temperature sensors in direct contact with the sample and a large sapphire window which allows textural and spectroscopic analyses. We have characterized aqueous solutions with salts (MgSO4, NaCl, MgCl2, Mg(ClO4)2, Na2CO3), volatiles (CO2) and clays (nontronite, montmorillonite) at temperatures down to 223 K and pressures up to 60 MPa. Samples were studied by pressure-temperature (P-T) cycles in two ways: (a) first freezing the solution and pressurizing it (TPPT method) and (b) first pressurizing the solution and then freezing it (PTTP method), in order to examine textural and grain size heterogeneities and fracture formation depending on the method of formation. The cooling of the samples led to the final formation of water ice, hydrated salts and clathrate hydrates. Raman spectroscopy was used to control the mineral assemblages and understand better the crust environments and processes that can explain the resulting values, like the appearance of supercooled brines, amorphous phases and recrystallizations during the P-T cycles. We measured the dielectric properties of these samples with a BDS80 Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy system (Novocontrol) which allows to work in a frequency range from 1 Hz to 10 MHz and temperatures from 143 to 323 K. Both permittivity and electric conductivity were measured at 0.1 MPa while cooling the samples in temperature steps of 10 K. From these data we estimated, on the one hand, the activation energy for motion of the electric charges of each solution, and on the other hand, the attenuation of the radar wave depending on the chemical composition and the temperature of the sample, and the frequency of the electric field applied [Pettinelli et al. 2015]. The already obtained novel data will be used as reference for a second set of experiments, consisting on the same dielectric properties’ characterization but, in this set, samples will be also subjected to high pressure conditions. References Aglyamov et al. (2017) Bright prospects for radar detection of Europa’s ocean, Icarus, 281, 334-337. Bruzzone et al. (2013) RIME: Radar for Icy moon Exploration, IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium - IGARSS, Melbourne, 3907-3910. Pettinelli et al. (2015) Dielectric properties of Jovian satellite ice analogs for subsurface radar exploration: A review, Reviews of Geophysics, 53, 593-641.

Thermal properties of frozen salt solutions are crucial to interpret the JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) (ESA) and Europa Clipper (NASA) missions, which will be launched in the upcoming years to make detailed observations of the giant gaseous planet Jupiter and three of its largest moons (Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa) due to the scarcity of experimental measurements.Therefore, we have conducted a set of experiments to measure and study the thermal conductivity and calorimetry of macroscopic frozen salt solutions of particular interest in these regions, including Na-chloride (NaCl), Mg-sulphate (MgSO4), sodium sulphate (Na2SO4), and Magnesium chloride (MgCl2). A climatic chamber has been used to mimic the cryogenic conditions in the Jovian Icy Moons. Measurements were performed at atmospheric pressure and temperatures from 0 to -70ºC. Temperature and thermal conductivity were measured during the course of the experiments. A side effect of these measurements is that they served to spot phase changes in the ice mixtures. A small sample of the liquid salt-water solution was set aside for the calorimetry measurements.These experiments and the measurements of thermal conductivity and calorimetry will be valuable to constrain the chemical composition, physical state, and temperature of the upper layers of the icy crusts of Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa (please see abstracts EPSC Muñoz Iglesias et al. 2020 and EPSC Solomonidou et al. 2020).

Industrial robotic arms integrated with server computers, sensors and actuators have revolutionized the way automated non-destructive testing is performed in the aeronautical sector. Currently, there are commercial, industrial robots that have the precision, speed and repetitiveness in their movements that make them suitable for use in numerous non-destructive testing inspections. Automatic ultrasonic inspection of complex geometry parts remains one of the most difficult challenges in the market. The closed configuration, i.e., restricted access to internal motion parameters, of these robotic arms makes it difficult for an adequate synchronism between the movement of the robot and the acquisition of the data. This is a serious problem in the inspection of aerospace components, where high-quality images are necessary to assess the condition of the inspected component. In this paper, we applied a methodology recently patented for the generation of high-quality ultrasonic images of complex geometry pieces using industrial robots. The methodology is based on the calculation of a synchronism map after a calibration experiment and to introduce this corrected map in an autonomous, independent external system developed by the authors to obtain precise ultrasonic images. Therefore, it has been shown that it is possible to establish the synchronization of any industrial robot with any ultrasonic imaging generation system to generate high-quality ultrasonic images.

Background: The conservation of the built masonry heritage requires a comprehensive understanding of its geometrical, structural, and material characteristics. Non-destructive techniques are a preferred approach to survey historical buildings, given the cultural value of their fabric. However, currently available techniques are typically operated manually, consuming much time at operational and processing level and thus hindering their use for the on-site inspection of heritage structures. Methods: A novel automated sonic tomography system was designed and built to inspect and obtain information about the inner structure and damage of historic masonry walls. The system consists of a hitting device mounted on a frame that can be placed adjacent to the wall under analysis. The hitting device can move along the surface within the frame area in X, Y and Z directions, generating the sonic wave. The receiving system is a scanning laser vibrometer, able to measure from the distance the displacement of a focused point over time, recording the wave when it reaches the opposite surface. Results: Six stone masonry walls with different interior geometries were constructed at the laboratory by a professional stonemason. The construction of the walls was carefully documented, including the generation of detailed photogrammetric models of each single stone. The system was applied to survey the six masonry walls. Since the inner morphology of the walls is known, the resulting tomographic images could be compared with the ground truth. Conclusions: Automating the inspection allowed to collect thousands of data in a few hours. New software was also developed to automate the processing of the data. Results are expected to highlight the potential of tomography to obtain quantitative information about the interior of heritage structures, while providing new tools that make the implementation of the technique more practical for professionals. Data, software and models have been made publicly available.

This paper presents a synchronism system that has been designed to facilitate the generation of ultrasonic images of pieces with complex geometry through the use of industrial robots. Modern robotic manipulators and, more specifically, industrial robotic arms integrated with server computers, sensors and actuators have revolutionized the way automated non-destructive testing is performed. Currently there are commercial industrial robots that have the precision, speed and repetitiveness in their movements that make them suitable for use in numerous non-destructive testing inspections whose designs are carried out by small and medium sized specialized companies. Automatic ultrasonic inspection of complex parts remains one of the most difficult challenges according to the specific and increasingly exigent demands of the markets. The closed configuration of these complex robotic arms makes it difficult to maintain adequate synchronism between the movement of the robot and the acquisition of the data, making it difficult to generate ultrasonic images consistent with the geometry of the part. This is a serious problem in the inspection of aerospace components where high quality is necessary to assess the condition of the inspected component. In this paper, we present an autonomous independent external system that provides control signals to synchronize the ultrasound system with the robot trajectories without needing to access its position in real time. A methodology to obtain the timing pattern for a given part inspected with a given robotic system will also be presented here.

DocumeNDT Uniaxial Compression Strength (UCS) Tests - tomographic inspections dataset This repository contains data from the sonic tomography inspections carried out during the cyclic Uniaxial Compression Strength (UCS) tests performed on six stone masonry walls at the laboratory of the Eduardo Torroja Institute for Construction Sciences (IETCC), from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). A first sonic tomography inspection was carried out before starting the test (C0) with no loading. Then, cycles of increasing loading were imposed to the wall. Two cycles are performed for each loading level. After reaching the maximum load in each cycle, the load is sustained and a sonic tomography inspection is carried out. The data set is structured in 3 levels of folders:- At first level, the 6 folders correspond to the 6 tested stone masonry walls (Wall 1-6).- At second level, for each wall, there are two folders and a readme file:- The readme file contains specific details about the inspection, e.g., number of emission and reception points or maximum load corresponding to each cycle- The folder 'Coordinates' contains two diagrams of the emission and reception locations in elevation- The folder 'Loading Cycles' contains the sonic raw data recorded in each cycle- At third level, for each loading cycle carried out during the UCS test, there is one folder. Each folder contains:- The folder 'Coordinates' contains the exact coordinates of the emission and reception points in *.txt files- The folder 'Emission raw signal' contains the recorded emission signal for each emission location- The folder 'Reception raw signal' contains the recorded reception signal for each emission location Sonic data are presented in *.csv files, structured in columns. Each column correspond to a reception location. The values correspond to the voltage recorded. Specific details about the csv can be found in the readme file of each wall. The frequency of acquisition is 256000 samples/s. The detailed geometry of all walls (including the inner position of each stone) is publicly available and can be found in https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7713700 The experimental results of the UCS test are also publicly available and can be found in https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8341725. Please cite the following related publication: Ortega J, Meersman MFL, Aparicio S, Liébana JC, Anaya JJ, Gonzalez M. Capabilities of sonic tomography to assess historic masonry deformability properties, in situ stress level and damage evolution (2023)

In this study, different techniques for the mitigation of radon gas in indoor spaces were investigated. For this purpose, two different scenarios of a public building were analyzed: two symmetrical facility galleries and a reverberation chamber. Although most workplaces in this building have low radon levels, the complex structure houses spaces have very high radon concentrations. The study also included the surrounding areas of these spaces. The radon concentration and differential pressures were measured, and different mitigation techniques were applied: sealing, balanced ventilation, pressurization with the introduction of fresh air, and depressurization over each space. The pressurization solution was proven to be the most effective way to reduce radon concentration in both scenarios. The introduction of fresh air diluted the radon concentration, and the slight increase in the pressure reduced the entry of gas by the advection mechanism. On the other hand, the depressurization technique was the least effective mitigation technique, as it generated a negative pressure gradient that facilitated a higher radon flux from the source. Therefore, before applying any mitigation technique, it is necessary not only to study the space to be remediated but also the possible impact on neighboring spaces.

A new versatile and geometrically reconfigurable ultrasonic tomography system (UTS) has been designed to inspect and obtain information about the internal structure and inner damage of columns in heritage buildings. This nondestructive system is considered innovative because it aims to overcome common limitations of existing systems. Tomographic inspections are typically carried out manually and are thus limited to small portions of construction elements. The proposed UTS allows the automatization of the inspection and the generation of numerous tomographic slices along the height of the column. It is valid for multiple types of columns and materials. In the present work, the system was tested on two limestone columns of the north façade of the Convent of Carmo in Lisbon, Portugal. The UTS is composed of a mechanical and an electronic system. The mechanical system consists of four linear motion subsystems mounted in a square setup. A transducer is placed on each of the axes, acting as emitter or receiver of the ultrasonic signals. The mechanical system also includes a guide system to adapt the inspections to the complex geometry of the columns. The electronic system allows the control and the synchronization of the movements and the emission/reception configuration of the four ultrasonic transducers.

The study of thermal properties of frozen salt solutions representative of ice layers in Jovian moons is crucial to support the JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) (ESA) and Europa Clipper (NASA) missions, which will be launched in the upcoming years to make detailed observations of the giant gaseous planet Jupiter and three of its largest moons (Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto), due to the scarcity of experimental measurements. Therefore, we have conducted a set of experiments to measure and study the thermal conductivity of macroscopic frozen salt solutions of particular interest in these regions, including sodium chloride (NaCl), magnesium sulphate (MgSO4), sodium sulphate (Na2SO4), and magnesium chloride (MgCl2). Measurements were performed at atmospheric pressure and temperatures from 0 to -70 degrees C in a climatic chamber. Temperature and calorimetry were measured during the course of the experiments. An interesting side effect of these measurements is that they served to spot phase changes in the frozen salt solutions, even for very low salt concentrations. A small sample of the liquid salt-water solution was set aside for the calorimetry measurements. These experiments and the measurements of thermal conductivity and calorimetry will be valuable to constrain the chemical composition, physical state, and temperature of the icy crusts of Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto.

The development of early age properties of sprayed concrete is a key factor that governs its mix design and safe application. The conventional methods to evaluate the evolution of mechanical strength in sprayed concrete present a large interval between each set of measurements and results present a high scatter. In this context, the objective of this study is to characterize the early age properties of sprayed mortars through a novel continuous monitoring system based on in situ ultrasound measurements. Sprayed mortars were also analyzed by isothermal calorimetry, needle penetration and stud driving method. Results indicate that the system developed here can monitor the evolution of early age proper-ties of sprayed mortars continuously without the common drawbacks observed in penetration tests. This research may lead to the development of a more reliable procedure to characterize the early age mechan-ical properties of sprayed materials in the worksite under safer conditions. (c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

This work studies ultrasonic propagation in liquid and ice water drops. The effect of porosity on attenuation of ultrasonic waves in the drops is also explored. The motivation of this research was the possible application of ultrasonic techniques to the study of interstellar and cometary ice analogs. These ice analogs, made by vapor deposition onto a cold substrate at 10 K, can display high porosity values up to 40%. We found that the ultrasonic pulse was fully attenuated in such ice, and decided to grow ice samples by freezing a liquid drop. Several experiments were performed using liquid or frozen water drops with and without pores. An ultrasonic pulse was transmitted through each drop and measured. This method served to estimate the ultrasonic velocity of each drop by measuring drop size and time-of-flight of ultrasonic transmission. Propagation of ultrasonic waves in these drops was also simulated numerically using the SimNDT program developed by the authors. After that, the ultrasonic velocity was related with the porosity using a micromechanical model. It was found that a low value of porosity in the ice is sufficient to attenuate the ultrasonic propagation. This explains the observed lack of transmission in porous astrophysical ice analogs.

Electricite de France (EDF) operates a large fleet of nuclear reactors and is responsible for demonstrating the safety of facilities, including concrete containment buildings (CCB), which are non-replaceable components. The leak-tightness of CCBs is assessed every 10 years during integrated leak-rate tests (IRLT). For double-wall containments, which have no metallic liners, the leak-tightness is strongly influenced by the degree of cracking of concrete and opening of the cracks, which mostly depends on (a) the prestress decrease due to the delayed strains of concrete and to a lesser extent due to relaxation of tendons steel, and (b) the saturation degree of the Powered by Editorial Manager (R) and ProduXion Manager (R) from Aries Systems Corporation concrete wall. Therefore, to optimize the maintenance programs on CCBs, it is important to predict the evolution of drying, creep and shrinkage strains of concrete to be able to correctly assess the pre-stress losses, and finally the air leak-tightness at a structural level during pressure tests or under accidental loadings. To improve our understanding and identify the best modelling practices on this issue, a large experimental program called VERCORS was launched in 2014. VERCORS is a 1/3 mock-up of a 1300 MWe nuclear reactor CCB. It has been widely instrumented, and its concrete thoroughly characterized. A specific attention has been paid to ensure it is consistent with real CBBs features in EDF's nuclear fleet. To complement its internal R&D efforts, EDF decided to associate external partners to this program. One of the means for this is the organization of benchmarks, where all teams are given data and information about the mock-up and are asked to quantitatively predict its behaviour. The present paper reports the organization and findings of the 2nd benchmark which was organized in 2018 and gathered several international teams around the same objective: improve the confidence in the modelling of structural behaviour as well as the leak-tightness of concrete in containment walls under pressure test loading. The benchmark has shown once again that predicting the mechanical and leakage behaviour of containment buildings is a difficult task. The benchmark also yielded interesting information about the possibility to use spatially reduced models to predict the mechanical behaviour and leakage and underlined the fact that more research must be done to better predict the localization of cracks and leakage. Some lessons have been learnt for the next benchmark: EDF will ask to clarify further the calibration methods, will give more data (including drying, creep and shrinkage at different temperatures and moisture measurements in the mock-up), and will help the participants using local leakage data by projecting the raw measurements on a regular grid, so that the local leakage models can be improved.

Sub-slab depressurisation systems have proven to effectively mitigate radon entry. A poor understanding of the fluid physics underlying the technique has been shown to lower the success rate substantially. This article describes a study of pressure fields in a sub-slab gravel bed induced by a soil depressurisation system consisting of perforated pipes run under the slab at a depth of 75 cm. The advantage of the approach is that pipes can be laid from outside the building to be protected. The study was conducted on a large-scale experimental facility where the variations in morphology and scope of pressure fields with different pipe combinations could be monitored and characterised. The findings showed that pressure was uniform across the entire area in the gravel bed, whereas the sensors buried in natural soil showed pressure to depend on distance from the source. Pressure transfer to the sub-slab plane was also observed to vary depending on the active pipe. Air-flow resistance studies in the layers of soil lying between the pipes and the gravel delivered different results for each pipe. That finding would appear to be related to the presence of preferential pathways in some parts of the soil. Total pressure when several pipes were activated was observed to be practically the same as the sum of the pressures transferred by each when working separately. The correlation between extraction fan power and pressure generated was also analysed. These and other factors are discussed and analysed from a perspective of the understanding of such highly effective techniques.

In this paper, we define the hygrothermal properties of a rammed earth wall through experimental analysis, relating thermal parameters to moisture content. These tests were conducted in Campo de Criptana (Ciudad Real, Spain), and the wall examined in this study is a 70-cm-thick north-facing rammed earth wall that is part of an occupied traditional dwelling Ambient and surface temperature and humidity values were monitored, along with the temperature and humidity at several points inside the wall and the heat flux on both sides of the wall. We recorded the wall's behaviour regarding ambient comfort conditions for one year and obtained transmittance and conductivity values. Results show that it is quite difficult to analyse the hygrothermal behaviour of a rammed earth wall throughout the year, since the properties of the wall vary enormously. We found that, to evaluate the thermal behaviour of the wall, it was not appropriate to consider the same conductivity value for whole sections of the wall, as this value varies according to moisture content (generally between 0.39 and 0.55 Wm(-1) K-1): we propose seasonal values for conductivity. Finally, the hygrothermal stability that these structures provide to the spaces they enclose has been shown, especially during hot and dry periods.

This paper presents the influence of environmental conditions on behaviour of concrete manufactured with recycled or steel slag aggregates. These materials were monitored during 270 days, approximately, by means of wireless sensor networks and a specific set of sensors, designed and fabricated to monitor internal temperature and humidity at different positions, as well as internal strain. In addition, ultrasonic velocity was monitored during early ages. For that purpose, different mixes have been analysed and tested under similar conditions. At early ages, it was found that the hydration process is accelerated adding recycled aggregates and delayed for steel slags, but the highest compressive strength values after 28 days of curing, were reached for steel slag aggregates and these values increase with the percentage of replacement. At long term, all mixes except the mixes with only steel slag aggregates have lost more RH than in normal concrete. The shrinkage in concrete with recycled aggregates or with only steel slags is higher than the observed in normal concrete. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.