Investigación sobre morteros y sus tratamientos para su restauración en el Retablo del Altar Mayor de la Basílica del Pilar

The altarpiece of the Assumption of Mary is located in the High Altar of the Pilar Basilica in Zaragoza and is one of the most important works of the Spanish Artistic Heritage. The work, sculptured in alabaster, was carried out between 1509 and 1518 by Damián Forment. The present paper covers the guidelines for the design of repair mortars used to restore the altarpiece. They are based on compatibility criteria with the existing materials and treatments in the altarpiece, according to research carried out during the recent works of cleaning and restoration. During the previous research, the composition of the original mortars was tested, the aggregate granulometry, and the composition of the organic additives used. The patina of the altarpiece was also analyzed and identified. The original mortars were made up of a mixture of gypsum and lime with the addition of oil or fats. In many cases various types of fibre were detected in the mortar, used to improve its mechanical characteristics. The repair mortars were designed with a composition similar to the originals, with a mixture of gypsum and lime, and their compatibility with the alabaster was studied, while also optimizing the granulometry of the aggregates used.El retablo de la Asunción de María está situado en el Altar Mayor de la Basílica del Pilar en Zaragoza y es una de las grandes obras del Patrimonio artístico español. La obra, esculpida en alabastro, fue realizada entre 1509 y ¡518 por Damián Forment. En este trabajo se recogen las directrices para el diseño de los morteros de reparación utilizados en la restauración del retablo. Se basaron en criterios de compatibilidad de los materiales y tratamientos existentes en el retablo, según la investigación realizada durante las obras de la última actuación realizada para la limpieza y restauración. En la investigación realizada se comprobó la composición de los morteros originales, la granulometría de los áridos empleados, así como la composición de los aditivos orgánicos utilizados. Igualmente se analizó e identificó la pátina del retablo. Los morteros originales estaban compuestos por una mezcla de yeso y cal con adición de aceite o grasa. En muchos casos se detectaron diversos tipos de fibras en la masa de los morteros, utilizadas para mejorar sus características mecánicas. Los morteros de reparación se han diseñado con una composición similar a la de los antiguos, con una mezcla de yeso y cal, y se estudió su compatibilidad con el alabastro, optimizándose igualmente la granulometría de los áridos a utilizar

Universal relaxation function in nonextensive systems

We have derived the dipolar relaxation function for a cluster model whose volume distribution was obtained from the generalized maximum Tsallis nonextensive entropy principle. The power law exponents of the relaxation function are simply related to a global fractal parameter $\alpha$ and for large time to the entropy nonextensivity parameter $q$. For intermediate times the relaxation follows a stretched exponential behavior. The asymptotic power law behaviors both in the time and the frequency domains coincide with those of the Weron generalized dielectric function derived from an extension of the Levy central limit theorem. They are in full agreement with the Jonscher universality principle. Moreover our model gives a physical interpretation of the mathematical parameters of the Weron stochastic theory and opens new paths to understand the ubiquity of self-similarity and power laws in the relaxation of large classes of materials in terms of their fractal and nonextensive properties.Comment: Two figures. Submitted for publicatio

A non extensive approach for DNA breaking by ionizing radiation

Tsallis entropy and a maximum entropy principle allows to reproduce experimental data of DNA double strand breaking by electron and neutron radiation. Analytic results for the probability of finding a DNA segment of length l are obtained reproducing quite well the fragment distribution function experimentally obtained