This is a five day course covering the following topics:

1. The environment, defining relative humidity and sources of moisture
2. An introduction to statics and the sources of forces acting on works of art.
3. The mechanical properties of cultural materials and the effects of temperature and relative humidity. This section will define strength, stiffness, stress, strain and the modulus of materials.
4. The dimensional properties of cultural materials in response to temperature and relative humidity.
5. Introduction to forces acting on composite systems.
6. Introduction to forces and deformations acting on works of art.
7. The effects of relative humidity on works of art, canvas supported and wood panel paintings. Introduction to computer modeling.
8. The effects of temperature on works of art, canvas supported and wood panel paintings. Introduction to computer modeling.
9. The effects of conservation treatment to paintings, canvas supported and wood panel paintings. Information on conservation materials will be included in this section.

The cultural materials covered in this course will include:

1. Oil paints, acrylic paints, alkyd paints, and tempera paints.
2. Wood
3. Textiles
4. Hide and fish glues
5. Gessoes
6. Synthetic adhesives
7. Others