Depuis mai 2019, le LAPA est porteur d’une ANR « SOS – Save Our Shipwrecks » alliant la biocorrosion et le patrimoine sous-marin, comme les épaves métalliques sous-marines du second conflit mondial. « SOS » d’une durée de 4 ans, vise à comprendre les mécanismes de dégradation des épaves et de manière ultime à mettre en place et tester la pertinence de traitements de protection cathodique pour préserver ce patrimoine historique enfoui. Ce projet fait appel à différents domaines : corrosion métallique, patrimoine historique et culturel, protection de ce patrimoine, biodiversité, protection cathodique. Ces différents domaines sont couverts par le choix d’un consortium multidisciplinaire.
Partnership of SOS (LAPA, IPREM, DRASSM, A-CORROS)
This project combines fundamental research (corrosion mechanisms, microorganisms/inorganic materials interactions) and industrial application (cathodic protection of immersed metal structures). The consortium will rely on a scientific strategy based both on field resources (measuring tool, diagnosis and in situ protection of wrecks, 3D photogrammetry) and laboratory equipment at the forefront of technology.
In SOS, very different fields are concerned: cultural heritage, corrosion of iron and its protection, microbiology, solution chemistry, organic-pollutants interactions. A multidisciplinary scientific consortium (LAPA, IPREM, A-CORROS, DRASSM) was formed:
Communication to different communities
The consortium will introduce a participatory approach to sensitize the general public so that it becomes the own actor of its heritage. A sheet of conservation/state of the wreck will be elaborated and disseminated to local actors (tourists, fishermen, divers). All along the project, the objectives and the effect of the treatment of the shipwrecks will be explained through conferences and exhibitions for the general public and for the local actors (tourists, fishermen, divers, elected officials).
Actions since the beginning of the project:
A first sampling mission on the wreck of the HMS Daffodil was carried out from 27 to 30 May 2019. Samples were collected from different parts of the wreck and are actually under characterization: sheets, sediments, concretions, water. Nature of the corrosion layers, of metals retained by the sediments and biodiversity are the researched information.
To date, SOS has given rise to various reports and articles for all audiences:
• › Science des matériaux et chimie pour l'archéologie et le patrimoine / Material science and chemistry for archaeology and cultural heritage
• UMR 3685 NIMBE : Nanosciences et Innovation pour les Matériaux, la Biomédecine et l'Énergie
• Laboratoire archéomatériaux et prévision de l'altération (LAPA)