An innovative mechatronic-based procedure for high-precision reassembly of stone fragments was applied to restore the ancient roman statue of Diana Cacciatrice (Diana the Huntress), whose fragments were stored at the repository of the Pio Capponi Museum in Terracina, Italy. The RestArt system comprises a high-accuracy 3D laser scanning of two fragments positioned on a special machine specifically designed for handling and accurately move large fragments. Then a software-simulated best-fitting of the two homologous fractured faces of each fragment provides the needed roto-translation matrix, which drives the machine control system to move one fragment to match the other one. Also, the RestArt machine integrates a numeric-controlled moving drilling device for high-precision boring of the fractured surfaces at the designated points for optimal coaxial rods insertion. This permits a very effective fixing of the fragments and allows multi-point fixing, which is practically impossible with conventional methods. The efficacy of the RestArt reassembly method was experimented through shaking table tests on 80-cm-height stone columns specimens. Some specimens were restored by the traditional method, taken as benchmark. All specimens were subjected to strong vibration tests reproducing extreme earthquakes and truck transport on pot-holed road. The RestArt system resulted less time-consuming and capable of providing a reassembly much more resistant to vibration excitation than the traditional method. After such good experimental results, the RestArt system was applied to reunite the head, the legs and the right arm to the main torso fragment of the Diana statue. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

cited By 0; Conference of 3rd International Conference on The Future of Heritage Science and Technologies, Florence Heri-Tech 2022 ; Conference Date: 16 May 2022 Through 18 May 2022; Conference Code:285599