INTEGRATED SURVEYING METHODOLOGIES FOR STUDYING, PRESERVING AND MONITORING THE BYZANTINE SAINT NICHOLAS MONASTIC COMPLEX

A laser scanner geometrical and crack pattern survey together with a 18 month crack monitoring was carried out on the Church of St. Nicolas near Mesopotam (Albania) was carried out in order to study the morphological and structural problems of the building. The research was carried out within a multi scale approach by a group of researchers from different Italian Universities supported also by UNESCO (Venice). The results are here presented, beginning from the laser scanner survey to the crack pattern monitoring, showing that the damages started long time ago, probably caused by earthquakes occurred in the area. The geometrical survey and the monitoring shows a continuous movement of the façade and of the apse outward, which should be controlled and limited by an appropriate choice for improvement and repair.