Managing Information to Improve Conservation: The HBIM of the Wooden Chain of Santa Maria del Fiore

A key potential of HBIM is its ability to reflect the complexity and stratification of built heritage. By gathering in a single place multiple data, the HBIM streamlines the knowledge process that is at the base of conservation activities. By describing the informative tool developed to support the preservation of the chestnut chain of the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore, this paper aims to address the topic of the management of information within the HBIM. In particular, it focuses on how to systematize data in order to facilitate decision making within the frame of a preventive and planned conservation. To this end, the research proposes a possible articulation for the informative apparatus to be associated with the 3D model. More importantly, it makes an attempt to translate qualitative data into numerical values to define a priority index. The latter will improve the scheduling and implementation of maintenance activities, concretely impacting the overall conservation of the object.