The main objective of the Heritage Within (HWITHIN) research project is to investigate what is hidden to our naked eye. One of the core actions of the project was to explore the use of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and ultrasonic acoustic tomography to document and reconstruct precisely the interior of the constructive elements, almost on a stone-by-stone basis. However, precisely because it is not visible, the results obtained and the conclusions drawn cannot be verified with the reality.
In the case of the Carmo Convent, the structural elements under investigations are the neogothic compound piers of the main nave, reconstructed after the 1755 earthquake. There is insufficient information on the layout of the interior morphology of the pillar’s cross-section. Additionally, finding relatable examples to compare to the compound pillars at the Carmo Convent are quite minimal, making it complicated for even initial assumptions to be established.
Therefore, the team decided to construct 1:1 stone replicas of parts of the neogothic stone masonry pillars (the shaft and the pedestal).
