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University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Theses (Historic Preservation) Graduate Program in Historic Preservation 2011 New Investigations into a Historic Treatment: The Efficacy of Gelatin as an Adhesive for Earthen Finishes at Mesa Verde National Park Emily M. Aloiz University of Pennsylvania Follow this and additional works at: http://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses Part of the Historic Preservation and Conservation Commons Aloiz, Emily M., "New Investigations into a Historic Treatment: The Efficacy of Gelatin as an Adhesive for Earthen Finishes at Mesa Verde National Park" (2011). Theses (Historic Preservation). 178. http://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/178 Suggested Citation: Aloiz, Emily M. (2011). New Investigations into a Historic Treatment: The Efficacy of Gelatin as an Adhesive for Earthen Finishes at Mesa Verde National Park. (Masters Thesis). University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. http://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/178 For more information, please contact [email protected]. New Investigations into a Historic Treatment: The fficE acy of Gelatin as an Adhesive for Earthen Finishes at Mesa Verde National Park Abstract This thesis comes out of years of work beginning in 1994 undertaken by Frank Matero and the University of Pennsylvania to stabilize the earthen surface finishes of Mesa Verde National Park in Southwestern Colorado. The aim of this research is to better understand the performance and deterioration mechanisms for gelatin treatments used to reattach earthen plasters and washes. Threats to the treatment method include biodeterioration and failure due to wet-dry cycles and humidity fluctuations. The da hesive’s durability to these weathering phenomena was researched and evaluated through testing proxy samples in the Architectural Conservation Laboratory of the University of Pennsylvania. (All tests conducted are listed in the Testing Matrix: Appendix A) The og als of this project were to: • Understand the properties, manufacturing process, history and use in conservation of gelatin as an adhesive and identify its greatest vulnerabilities • Evaluate the bond strength and wet-dry and freeze-thaw deterioration that can occur once the gelatin treatment has been applied to earthen finishes in formulations that include glycerin as an additive • Determine the most effective method of testing a conservation material’s bioreceptivity and apply it to gelatin • Synthesize new data and data from previous research to establish climatic conditions for optimal performance of gelatin at Mesa Verde and other earthen sites Disciplines Historic Preservation and Conservation Comments Suggested Citation: Aloiz, Emily M. (2011). New Investigations into a Historic Treatment: The Efficacy of Gelatin as an Adhesive for Earthen Finishes at Mesa Verde National Park. (Masters Thesis). University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. This thesis or dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/178 NEW INVESTIGATIONS INTO A HISTORIC TREATMENT: THE EFFICACY OF GELATIN AS AN ADHESIVE FOR EARTHEN FINISHES AT MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK Emily Marie Aloiz A THESIS in Historic Preservation Presented to the Faculties of the University of Pennsylvania in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION 2011 ______________________ Advisor Frank Matero Professor of Architecture ______________________ Program Chair Randall F. Mason Associate Professor of Architecture For Fredrick E. Aloiz, in memoriam ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank many people for their invaluable influence, on myself as a student of conservation, and on the analysis of an adhesive in this thesis. First of all, I would like to thank my advisor, Frank Matero, for his ideas and insights into the treatment practices at Mesa Verde and how to evaluate their longevity. I would also like to thank Victoria Pingaron Alvarez: I would not have been able to perform laboratory testing without her knowledge and support. Another essential contributor to this work is Michael Henry. His assessment of environmental variables challenged me to think more critically and his insights as a practitioner helped me to design a field test for bioreceptivity at Mesa Verde. Thanks are owed to Elena Charola for her insights into the evaluation of biodeterioration and two graduate biology students-- Aurora MacRae-Crerar and Laura Fox --who graciously let me ask them questions about fungi. Behrooz Salimnejad, a conservator at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, graciously allowed me to experience his work consolidating finishes with fish glue. Amila Ferron’s ingenuity in sample creation aided this thesis immensely. John Hinchman and the staff at the Fabrication Lab were indispensible for their technical expertise. I would also like to thank the gelatin professionals at GELITA North America, Rousselot, Inc. and PB Leiner for sharing their knowledge of the industrial gelatin manufacturing process and Mesa Verde National Park for their continued collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania. The staff of the Historic Preservation Department have facilitated the production of this thesis, especially Karen Gomez with her outstanding administrative assistance and support. Finally, I would like to thank my friends and family who have offered encouragement and support throughout the entire process. They believed in me even when I did not believe in myself. And the most heartfelt thanks to my classmates whose enduring support proved that perseverance can only be archived by communal effort. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures. .vii List of Tables. viii List of Charts. ix 1.0 Introduction . 1 1.1 Selecting and Organic Adhesive . 2 1.2 Introduction to Mesa Verde National Park . 4 1.2.1 Materials . 4 1.2.2 Finish Conditions. 6 1.2.3 Climate. 6 1.3 Gelatin Treatments . 8 1.3.1 Treatment Method. 8 1.3.2 Previous Gelatin Adhesive Analysis . 9 1.3.3 Current Treatment Evaluation. 10 2.0 Soils . 12 2.1 Characterization of Soils . 12 2.1.1 Color . 12 2.1.2 Particle Size Distribution. .14 2.1.3 pH. .16 2.1.4 Soluble Salts and Calcium Carbonate . .19 2.1.5 Atterberg Limits. .21 2.1.6 Clay Minerology . .25 2.2 Coupon Preparation . 27 3.0 Gelatin Characterization. .31 3.1 Gelatin as an Adhesive . 31 3.1.1 Availability, Affordability, Ease of Application. 32 3.1.2 Stability/ Durability . 33 3.1.3 Elasticity. 34 3.1.4 Setting . .36 3.1.5 Bond Strength. 37 3.1.6 Reversibility. 38 3.1.7 Sustainability. .39 3.1.8 Sources. 39 iv 3.2 History of Gelatin . .41 3.3 Gelatin as a Conservation Material . .51 3.4 Food Grade Gelatin as an Adhesive at Mesa Verde . 57 3.4.1 Manufacture . 57 3.4.2 Structure and Chemistry . .59 3.4.3 Qualities of Food Grade Gelatin . .62 4.0 Accelerated Weathering Testing. 68 4.1 Coupon Treatment . 68 4.1.1 Preparation . .68 4.1.2 Treatment. 71 4.1.3 Conditions Treated . 75 4.2 Weathering Testing Methodology . ..75 4.2.1 Freeze-Thaw Durability. 76 4.2.2 Selected Freeze-Thaw Methodology . .80 4.2.3 Wet-Dry Durability . .82 4.2.4 Selected Wet-Dry Durability Methodology . 86 4.2.5 Bond Strength. 87 4.2.6 Selected Bond Strength Methodology . 90 4.3 Results of Testing . 91 4.3.1 Freeze-Thaw Results . 91 4.3.2 Wet-Dry Durability Results . .97 4.3.3 Results of Humidity Cycling . 100 4.3.4 Bond Strength Results . 101 4.4 Durability Conclusions . 105 5.0 Biodeterioration . .108 5.1 Biodeterioration in Conservation . 108 5.2 Biological Threats to the Gelatin . .117 5.3 Bioreceptivity Testing Program . 135 5.3.1 Testing Methodologies for Mesa Verde . 135 5.3.2 Selected Methodology . 139 5.3.3 Application of Consolidant . .141 5.5.4 Monitoring Equipment . 144 5.5.6 Analysis and Interpretation . .147 6.0 Conclusions . .153 v Bibliography. .156 Appendix A: Testing Matrix. .167 Appendix B: Soil Profile. .168 Appendix C.1: Soil Characterization Data from 2009 . .169 Appendix C.2: Atterburg Limit Data. ..

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