Francesca Gherardi is a materials scientist in the Investigative Science team at Historic England, Portsmouth, UK. She received a BSc and MSc in Science and Technology for Cultural Heritage and a PhD in Materials Engineering from Politecnico di Milano, Italy, with a research focused on the set-up of nanostructured protective treatments for stone and paint surfaces of Cultural Heritage. She was a research fellow at the Politecnico di Milano and University of Lincoln, UK, where she was involved in several international projects on the development of innovative conservation methodologies for stones, paintings, and textiles. She has contributed to different editorial and scientific boards as a reviewer, and has published research papers in peer-reviewed journals, books, and conference proceedings. Her research interests are the analysis of artworks, archaeological objects and buildings, and conservation treatment strategy development.Noni Pagona Maravelaki has obtained her PhD in stone decay and conservation from the Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Italy, and her diploma in chemistry from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Chemistry, Greece. She serves as a reviewer in several journals and she has published numerous research papers (more than 120) in peer-reviewed journals, books, and conference proceedings. Dr Maravelaki is a full professor and the head of the Materials for Cultural Heritage & Modern Building Lab, School of Architecture, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Crete, Greece. Prof Maravelaki specialises in the synthesis of green materials, physicochemical characterization, and the application of nanostructured and composite materials for the cleaning, protection, and consolidation of historic monuments, as well as the analysis of cultural heritage materials found in archaeological areas.

• Dedication.- Preface.- Chapter 1.  Preliminary investigations, condition assessment and mapping of the deterioration patterns.- Chapter 2. Surface cleaning: implications from choices & future perspectives.- Chapter 3: Laser cleaning on stonework; principles, case studies and future prospects.- Chapter 4. Stone consolidation. Between science and practice.- Chapter 5. Current and future trends in protective treatments for stone heritage.- Chapter 6. Mortars for Restoration: set-up parameters and developing mortar design areas.- Chapter 7. Repair mortars/grouts for reinstatement of stone units in Historic Structures.- Chapter 8. In situ assessment of conservation treatments and monitoring of their effectiveness.

Francesca Gherardi is a materials scientist in the Investigative Science team at Historic England, Portsmouth, UK. She received a BSc and MSc in Science and Technology for Cultural Heritage and a PhD in Materials Engineering from Politecnico di Milano, Italy, with a research focused on the set-up of nanostructured protective treatments for stone and paint surfaces of Cultural Heritage. She was a research fellow at the Politecnico di Milano and University of Lincoln, UK, where she was involved in several international projects on the development of innovative conservation methodologies for stones, paintings, and textiles. She has contributed to different editorial and scientific boards as a reviewer, and has published research papers in peer-reviewed journals, books, and conference proceedings. Her research interests are the analysis of artworks, archaeological objects and buildings, and conservation treatment strategy development.Noni Pagona Maravelaki has obtained her PhD in stone decay and conservation from the Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Italy, and her diploma in chemistry from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Chemistry, Greece. She serves as a reviewer in several journals and she has published numerous research papers (more than 120) in peer-reviewed journals, books, and conference proceedings. Dr Maravelaki is a full professor and the head of the Materials for Cultural Heritage & Modern Building Lab, School of Architecture, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Crete, Greece. Prof Maravelaki specialises in the synthesis of green materials, physicochemical characterization, and the application of nanostructured and composite materials for the cleaning, protection, and consolidation of historic monuments, as well as the analysis of cultural heritage materials found in archaeological areas.

• Dedication.- Preface.- Chapter 1.  Preliminary investigations, condition assessment and mapping of the deterioration patterns.- Chapter 2. Surface cleaning: implications from choices & future perspectives.- Chapter 3: Laser cleaning on stonework; principles, case studies and future prospects.- Chapter 4. Stone consolidation. Between science and practice.- Chapter 5. Current and future trends in protective treatments for stone heritage.- Chapter 6. Mortars for Restoration: set-up parameters and developing mortar design areas.- Chapter 7. Repair mortars/grouts for reinstatement of stone units in Historic Structures.- Chapter 8. In situ assessment of conservation treatments and monitoring of their effectiveness.

Francesca Gherardi is a materials scientist in the Investigative Science team at Historic England, Portsmouth, UK. She received a BSc and MSc in Science and Technology for Cultural Heritage and a PhD in Materials Engineering from Politecnico di Milano, Italy, with a research focused on the set-up of nanostructured protective treatments for stone and paint surfaces of Cultural Heritage. She was a research fellow at the Politecnico di Milano and University of Lincoln, UK, where she was involved in several international projects on the development of innovative conservation methodologies for stones, paintings, and textiles. She has contributed to different editorial and scientific boards as a reviewer, and has published research papers in peer-reviewed journals, books, and conference proceedings. Her research interests are the analysis of artworks, archaeological objects and buildings, and conservation treatment strategy development.Noni Pagona Maravelaki has obtained her PhD in stone decay and conservation from the Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Italy, and her diploma in chemistry from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Chemistry, Greece. She serves as a reviewer in several journals and she has published numerous research papers (more than 120) in peer-reviewed journals, books, and conference proceedings. Dr Maravelaki is a full professor and the head of the Materials for Cultural Heritage & Modern Building Lab, School of Architecture, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Crete, Greece. Prof Maravelaki specialises in the synthesis of green materials, physicochemical characterization, and the application of nanostructured and composite materials for the cleaning, protection, and consolidation of historic monuments, as well as the analysis of cultural heritage materials found in archaeological areas.

• Dedication.- Preface.- Chapter 1.  Preliminary investigations, condition assessment and mapping of the deterioration patterns.- Chapter 2. Surface cleaning: implications from choices & future perspectives.- Chapter 3: Laser cleaning on stonework; principles, case studies and future prospects.- Chapter 4. Stone consolidation. Between science and practice.- Chapter 5. Current and future trends in protective treatments for stone heritage.- Chapter 6. Mortars for Restoration: set-up parameters and developing mortar design areas.- Chapter 7. Repair mortars/grouts for reinstatement of stone units in Historic Structures.- Chapter 8. In situ assessment of conservation treatments and monitoring of their effectiveness.