LAPORAN STUDI
Candi Borobudur Research Program Degradation & Conservation Of The Stones
The conservation of the Temple of Borobudur is really a great restoration problem because of the several involved factors affecting the degradation of the stone. Since the water is the most important cause of degradation, one of the possible solutions is to reduce the penetration of the water inside the structure starting with the isolation of the architecture from the top. This could be obtained operating two different interventions. The first consists in the sealing of the joints between the blocks with a traditional hydraulic mortar (like that used by Van Erp) eventually added with a waterproofing product, which strongly increases the effectiveness and the durability of the mortar.This solution has been recently studied and successfully applied four years ago for the restoration of the wall of a seaside roman villa near Rome. Then the stone surface will be cleaned and once aompletely dry awaterproofing/strengthener product mixed with a suitable bio-protective agent may be applied until the saturation of the superficial stone layer is reached. Of course all the drainage system of the temple must be actives and eventually restored to assure that rain water is completely and correctly pushed away.The second methodology uses traditional materials only to fill the block joints of the main stupa and of the stupa terraces without applying waterproofing agents on the surfaces. Of course this intervention needs the effectiveness of the run off system and a continous maintenance of all surfaces to be successful. Anyway the use of water to clean the surfaces must be avoid to prevent that water penetrates the temple. Thus mechanical techniques and suitable chemicals must be used only to remove the biological patinas and to prevent that they grow again. As for the removal of the salty deposits, the traditional chemical methodologies must be used after a mechanical intervention in order to reduce the thickness of layer. All fissures and lacks of material can be filled with the tradisional hydraulic mortar
Perpustakaan Balai Konservasi Borobudur