Fatigue Damage of the Gesso Layer in Panel Paintings Subjected to Changing Climate Conditions

Abstract: Numerical modelling was used to follow the moisture movement and strain in a composite system – an unrestrained, single wood panel coated with a layer of gesso, in response to cyclic sinusoidal variations in relative humidity (RH). The allowable magnitude of the variations, below which physical damage of the gesso layer on the wood does not occur over a selected time of exposure, was derived as a function of cycle duration, panel thickness and moisture diffusion configuration. The dimensional response of wood substrate becomes subject to restraint by the applied layer of gesso. The panels do not respond significantly to diurnal fluctuations or shorter irrespectively of the panel thickness. The panels respond more and more significantly when the duration of the fluctuations increases until a certain critical period at which the panel fully responds to each cycle. The analysis of the data obtained indicates that moderate RH variations within the approximate range 50 ± 15% are safe. This safe range was derived using the extremes of conservative criteria of the gesso’s fatigue fracture and assumption of worst‐case wooden substrate response. The reduction of allowable amplitude of RH cycles because of decrease in the gesso’s modulus of elasticity and thickness is discussed.