Assessing the deterioration risk of mural paintings in Cave 98 of Mogao Grottoes based on the hygrothermal behavior

A significant portion of time—14% for temperature and 13.8% for relative humidity—exceeds the optimal range for preserving mural paintings in Cave 98 of the Mogao Grottoes, increasing deterioration risks such as salt damage (over 10 days annually) and mold contamination (a few days annually), with peak degradation occurring in summer. To address this, researchers developed a coupled heat and moisture transfer 2D model validated by on-site monitoring data, which analyzed spatial distributions of temperature and humidity to quantitatively assess deterioration risks across different locations. The study recommends targeted dehumidification measures during high-humidity periods to improve the preservation environment's adaptability.

Hu, X. Q., Zhang, Z. M., Zhang, R. B., Yang, Z. X., Hokoi, S., & Li, Y. H. (2023). Assessing the deterioration risk of mural paintings in Cave 98 of Mogao Grottoes based on the hygrothermal behavior. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2654(1), 12009. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2654/1/012009