Susana Del Pozo Aguilera, engineer of the TIDOP Research Group, awarded by the International Committee for Documentation of Cultural Heritage for the best International thesis of 2016.
The doctoral thesis entitled Multispectral imaging for the analysis of materials and pathologies in civil engineering, constructions and natural spaces defended by Susana Del Pozo Aguilera has just received the CIPA award 2016 for the best international thesis of 2016 that combines Geomatics and Cultural Heritage (CIPA thesis award winners). The promoter of this award recognition is the International Scientific Committee for Heritage Documentation (CIPA).
The researcher defended her thesis, directed by Dr. Diego González-Aguilera (University of Salamanca) and Dr. Pablo Rodríguez-Gonzálvez (University of León), on April 22, 2016. Her works include studies on health status and water deficit in crops, the discrimination between different rocks and minerals in rock massifs, and evaluations of the degradation state of building materials (mainly produced by moisture).
Currently, she is an active member of the TIDOP Research Group at the University of Salamanca where she continues her research work linked to the thesis as well as she collaborate in the development of several national and international research projects.
TECHNOLOGY
The technology behind these studies is included within close-range remote sensing. Thanks to the combined use of different sensors that capture information from surfaces, not only in the visible but also in the infrared spectral range, it is possible to draw conclusions about their “healthy” state.
Among the equipment used by Del Pozo are conventional digital cameras, multispectral cameras and some terrestrial laser scanners. These geotechnologies allow to capture information of objects at a certain distance from them so that no contact with their surface is established. These remote and non-invasive technologies are consolidated as an ideal tool to study protected or inaccessible elements such as natural reserves or cultural heritage assets among others. In addition, the final products and results are very useful to perform rehabilitation process of historical buildings, infrastructure improvements and even qualitative and quantitative analysis of natural resources.
