Cluster Analysis of IR Thermography Data for Differentiating Glass Types in Historical Leaded-Glass Windows
Infrared thermography is a fast, non-destructive and contactless testing technique which is increasingly used in heritage science. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of infrared thermography, in combination with a data clustering approach, to differentiate between the different types of...
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MDPI AG
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/12/4255 |
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| author | Michaël Hillen Stijn Legrand Yarince Dirkx Koen Janssens Geert Van der Snickt Joost Caen Gunther Steenackers |
| author_facet | Michaël Hillen Stijn Legrand Yarince Dirkx Koen Janssens Geert Van der Snickt Joost Caen Gunther Steenackers |
| author_sort | Michaël Hillen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Infrared thermography is a fast, non-destructive and contactless testing technique which is increasingly used in heritage science. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of infrared thermography, in combination with a data clustering approach, to differentiate between the different types of historical glass that were included in a colorless leaded-glass windows during previous restoration interventions. Inspection of the thermograms and the application of two data mining techniques on the thermal data, i.e., k-means clustering and hierarchical clustering, allowed identifying different groups of window panes that show a different thermal behavior. Both clustering approaches arrive at similar groupings of the glass with a clear separation of three types. However, the lead cames that hold the glass panes appear to have a substantial impact on the thermal behavior of the surrounding glass, thus preventing classification of the smallest glass panes. For the larger panes, this was not a critical issue as the center of the glass remained unaffected. Subtle visual color differences between panes, implying a variation in coloring metal ions, was not always distinguished by IRT. Nevertheless, data clustering assisted infrared thermography shows potential as an efficient and swift method for documenting the material intervention history of leaded-glass windows during or in preparation of conservation treatments. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:58:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-04131994146f4821bba35d7abc9a2f0e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:58:53Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-04131994146f4821bba35d7abc9a2f0e2023-11-20T04:31:50ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172020-06-011012425510.3390/app10124255Cluster Analysis of IR Thermography Data for Differentiating Glass Types in Historical Leaded-Glass WindowsMichaël Hillen0Stijn Legrand1Yarince Dirkx2Koen Janssens3Geert Van der Snickt4Joost Caen5Gunther Steenackers6Op3Mech, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, BelgiumAXES, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, BelgiumOp3Mech, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, BelgiumAXES, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, BelgiumAXES, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, BelgiumARCHES, University of Antwerp, Mutsaardstraat 31, B-2000 Antwerp, BelgiumOp3Mech, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, BelgiumInfrared thermography is a fast, non-destructive and contactless testing technique which is increasingly used in heritage science. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of infrared thermography, in combination with a data clustering approach, to differentiate between the different types of historical glass that were included in a colorless leaded-glass windows during previous restoration interventions. Inspection of the thermograms and the application of two data mining techniques on the thermal data, i.e., k-means clustering and hierarchical clustering, allowed identifying different groups of window panes that show a different thermal behavior. Both clustering approaches arrive at similar groupings of the glass with a clear separation of three types. However, the lead cames that hold the glass panes appear to have a substantial impact on the thermal behavior of the surrounding glass, thus preventing classification of the smallest glass panes. For the larger panes, this was not a critical issue as the center of the glass remained unaffected. Subtle visual color differences between panes, implying a variation in coloring metal ions, was not always distinguished by IRT. Nevertheless, data clustering assisted infrared thermography shows potential as an efficient and swift method for documenting the material intervention history of leaded-glass windows during or in preparation of conservation treatments.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/12/4255IR thermographyleaded-glass windowsk-means clusteringhierarchical clustering |
| spellingShingle | Michaël Hillen Stijn Legrand Yarince Dirkx Koen Janssens Geert Van der Snickt Joost Caen Gunther Steenackers Cluster Analysis of IR Thermography Data for Differentiating Glass Types in Historical Leaded-Glass Windows Applied Sciences IR thermography leaded-glass windows k-means clustering hierarchical clustering |
| title | Cluster Analysis of IR Thermography Data for Differentiating Glass Types in Historical Leaded-Glass Windows |
| title_full | Cluster Analysis of IR Thermography Data for Differentiating Glass Types in Historical Leaded-Glass Windows |
| title_fullStr | Cluster Analysis of IR Thermography Data for Differentiating Glass Types in Historical Leaded-Glass Windows |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cluster Analysis of IR Thermography Data for Differentiating Glass Types in Historical Leaded-Glass Windows |
| title_short | Cluster Analysis of IR Thermography Data for Differentiating Glass Types in Historical Leaded-Glass Windows |
| title_sort | cluster analysis of ir thermography data for differentiating glass types in historical leaded glass windows |
| topic | IR thermography leaded-glass windows k-means clustering hierarchical clustering |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/12/4255 |
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