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                    <text>�Significance, risk and the
maintenance of Engineering
and Industrial Objects

– a continuing discussion.

�David Hallam,
Ainslie Greiner,
Michiel Brunott

National Museum of
Australia

�Object or Artifact

��NMA consequences
assessment

NMA Functional
objects Planning
Tool

�Risk?
Per second
or
per 100 years

�Approach
Our aim should be to find the rate limiting
steps for minimising deterioration while
maximising use and preservation.
As with other cultural items the conservation
and maintenance of functional objects
should acknowledge engineering culture, it’s
values and aspirations.

�What's “best” for the object?
•
•
•
•
•

Non Functional
Maintained
Static
Functional?–
Storage/exhibition and
limited use?

�Operation Without planning
or non use without thought
are both
maximising the risk of loss

What happens in original oil and hydraulic systems over 100 years?
We remove chlorides from maritime objects why not replace fluids with inhibitors?

�A Study of Functional Fluids in Static
vehicles at Coventry Transport
Museum
In total we sampled
•

30 Brake and Clutch fluids samples

•

31 Coolant samples

•

11 Engine oil samples

•

4 Power-steering oil samples

•

3 Automatic Transmission oil samples

•

6 Gearbox oil samples

•

2 Differential oil samples

•

2 Stale fuel samples

-11-

Figure 2 collected samples

Total of 89 samples

�Cooling System Corrosion

�Bentley
Fig 11 -exhaust valve open

Fig 13 Corrosion on bore liner closed valves

Fig 12 corrosion around closed valve

Fig 14 oxidation lines on bore wall open valves

�Bentley 1924

Cylinder N°1 T.B.C

Cylinder N°2 B.D.C piston

Cylinder N°2 scoring on

opposite plug Valves

crown

thrust side

Cylinder No 2Bore &amp;

Corrosion valve N°2

Exhaust valve open

scoring and corrosion

Cylinder

closed

Bentley 1924
Fluid: Engine oil (probably st/30)
Last driven: June 1980
Photographs: Michiel Brunott
Exhaust ports

Photographs: copyright Coventry Transport Museum

�• Significance is a difficult term to define in
a museum context. What makes something
worthy of preservation for the greater good of
humanity?

See
http://significance.collectionscouncil.com.
au
• Significance and Value are
interchangeable words
• In Australia we use
Significance particularly
“significance 2”

�Risk
Rare

Occasional

Continuous

Mild

Fuel
Brake lockup
contamination

Significant

Bird dropping Rubber /plastic Storage rash
while on
fatigue
exterior
display
A crash
Debris build
Corrosion
up

Catastrophic

Wear

�•

Accept

•

Avoid

•

Reduce

�NMA consequences assessment
l

Excel spread sheet that allows you to
look at risk significance and the
consequences in a numeric manner.

�How	soon?	(rate,	or	probability,	 of	damage)
Risks	that	occur	as	distinct	events	

Risks	that	accumulate	gradually

3

Occurs	about	once	 every	year	

Damage	occurs	in	about	1	year

2

Occurs	about	once	 in	10	years	

Damage	occurs	in	about	10	years

1

Occurs	about	once	 in	100	years	

Damage	occurs	in	about	100	years

0

Occurs	about	once	 in	1000	years

Damage	occurs	in	about	1000	years

3
2
1
0

How	much	damage	to	each	affected	system?	(proportional	loss	of	value)
Total	or	 almost	total	loss	of	system	(100%)
Significant	but	limited	damage	to	each	system	(10%)
Moderate	or	reversible	damage	to	each	system	(1%)
Just	observable	 damage	to	the	system	(0.1%)

3
2
1
0

How	much	of	the	system	is	affected?	(fraction	of	collection	at	risk)
All	or	 most	of	the	system	(100%)
A	large	fraction	of	the	system	(10%)
A	small	fraction	of	the	system	(1%)
One	component	 of	a	system	(0.1%	or	less)

3
2
1
0

How	important	are	the	affected	systems?	(value	of	artefacts	at	risk)
Much	 higher	than	average	significance	(100	times	the	average	value)
Higher	than	average	significance	(10	times	the	average	value)
Average	significance	for	this	collection
Lower	than	average	value	for	this	collection	(1/10	the	average	value)

�What	aspects	are	important
Top	Fuel	Drag	
racer
basic	template

unmaintained	storage

risk	of	damage	or	failure

How	 How	
How	
much	of	 importa
much	
the	
nt	are	
How	 damage	
system	 the	
soon? to	each	
is	 affected	
affected	
affected systems
system?
?
?	

Bodywork	and	
interior
Engine	and	
Transmission
Brake	and	
hydrologic	
System
Electrical	System
Cooling	System
Chassis,	
suspension	and	
Wheels

3

1

2

2

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

2
3

2
3

2
2

3

2

3

Functional	Significance

3

8
12
12
8
11
11

consequences
possible

72

62

Primary criteria (significance 2)
Historic significance
Artistic or aesthetic significance
Scientific or research significance
Social or spiritual significance

2
2
1
2

Plus

3

2
3

Total	
risk

Artefact	or	Object?

3

�0

Prototype Bean

1

Maintained storage
Unmaintained storage

5

Maintained storage
Unmaintained storage

3

Maintained storage
Unmaintained storage

2

Maintained storage
Unmaintained storage

Maintained storage
Unmaintained storage

40

Maintained storage
Unmaintained storage

consequences

70

60

50

6
4

30

20
consequences

10

Wolsley MenziesABC Van Drag racer
Top Fuel

�Storage and limited use
The basic approach is that objects spend
most time in storage/display.
They have limited but periodic use and
maintenance.
Frequency depends on -materials basedconservation requirements and public
programs demand.

�Maintenance
• Typical maintenance will entail.
• Running the object to operating
temperature for 30 minutes
• Changing fluids –filling tires with
nitrogen
• Adjusting and tuning
• Monitoring
• Cycling all systems.

�NMA Functional objects
Planning Tool
• We are trying to improve the
development of the planning tool used
by the NMA
• Our current model is based on Johanna
Barr’s work mixed with our risk and
significance based approach
• This is a project in development!

�The Tool
• Planning
• Implementation
• Feedback

�Planning
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Curatorial and Conservation assessment
Engineering assessment
Statement of Significance
Risks evaluation
Curatorial Objectives
Conservation Objectives
Treatment Plan – collaborative Maintenance Plan
Usage Plan

�Implementation
•
•
•
•
•
•

Research and materials selection
Treatment Implementation
Documentation
Training Plan
Maintenance Implementation
Monitoring required

�Monitoring and feedback
•
•
•
•

Monitoring
Reporting
Feedback – to implementation
Publication - feedback to community

�Maintenance - Monitoring
• Just noticeable Wear
• Monitoring ensures this is happening
• Preservation systems like mothballing
which do not allow monitoring and
retreatment are to be avoided

�Monitoring
•
•
•
•
•

XRF
pH
Conductivity
Smell
Taste

��Methods and Materials Choice
P n it S e le
e r e h ls y
Mdu
ei m

• Risks of deterioration
P P
O2
• Choice – approach, planning and
Csr G
at
ld
materials, skillsolehiTXO er
V c s
le
• Application
1 0B T
6 SK
• Monitoring
U c ae
no t d
s e
te l
• Examples500-SN fluids, PSE Inhibitors,
Brake
O
Oils, coolants

�Fig 19 seized slave cylinder

Fig 22 oxidized wheel piston

Fig 20 half removed piston

Fig 21 slave cylinder bore

Fig 23 pitting on master cylinder piston

�Fig 29, Green solid on edge of aluminium strip and
screw

Figure 1: An Assortment of brake fluids to be tested for suitability in a museum environment.

�PROPERTY

DOT	3

DOT	4

DOT	5

DOT	5.1

Dry	Boil	Point	(ERBP)

205°C

230°C

260°C

260°C

Wet	Boil	Point	(Wet	ERBP)

140°C

155°C

180°C

180°C

Chemical	Composition

Glycol

Glycol

Silicone

Glycol

Viscosity	(-40°C)	mm2/s	max

1500

1800

900

900

Table 1: Requirements for brake fluid classification according to DOT standards. NOTE
ERBP = Equilibrium Reflux Boiling Point.

Figure 6: Elevated temperature experimental setup

�Figure 10: Graph showing relationship between corrosion rate
and brake fluid concentration covering the entire range from
pure water to pure brake fluid. Results obtained via the tafel
approach with mild steel electrode.

Figure 7: Experimental setup for Tafel approach.

Figu
re
12:
Com
paris
on
of
corr
osio
n
prot
ectio
n
offer
ed
by
vario
us
fluid
s
with
steel
elect
rode
.

��Prototype Holden
No.1

�Figure 2. Comparison of Holden Prototype No.1 engine oil vs standard after controlled maintenance run for 100km at Oran Park race track Sydney
NSW. Note the Fe and Mo residues from a previous engine rebuild using MoS2 grease in the rebuild process.

��1926 Bean car after 10 years display

Oil pump pre Screen

Conrod locknut.

Web of crankshaft

Note lack of carbon and

Note lack of sludge or

Note oil film and cleanness

corrosion.

carbon build-up

of oil

Cylinder wall through

Oil dripping off bottom end

Crankshaft and crank web

spark plug hole

Note how clean oil is

Note old stain but no red
rust

Crown wheel in

Crankcase Water Jacket

Cylinder head Water

differential

Note deposits but no red

Jacket

rust

Note start of failure brown
globules are present in
small numbers

Bean 1926
Fluid: Penrite Shelsley Medium

�XRF	Comparison	of	oil	after	10	years	maintained	display
9000
8000
7000

Oil	from	Bean	after	10	years	display

Standard	Base	Oil

Counts

6000
5000
4000
Zn

3000

Slight	variation

2000

Ca

1000
0
0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

KeV

Figure 5. Comparison of Bean car engine oil after 10 years’ display and basic periodic maintenance against a current new
standard. The “slight variation” is due to bromine that was used as a lead scavenger in the leaded petrol this car ran on in
the 1950’s.

��Foundation HAM (Historical Army Material) contracted by the Swiss Federal
Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport, is responsible for the
conservation, restoration and maintenance of the historical wheeled and
tracked vehicle collection of the Swiss military.
The	collection	contains	over	700	vehicles		(of	which	
about	600	have	an	engine)	and	is	composed	of:
•Horse	carriages
•Cycles
•Motorcycles
•Jeeps
•Trucks
•Tanks
•Trailers
•Aggregates

�The	foundation	 is	currently	 carrying	out	a	feasibility	study	 to	determine	
whether	it	is	possible	 to	carry	out	a	maintenance	scheme	on	such	a	big	
number	 of	vehicles.
This	is	the	protocol	as	it	is	being	carried	out:
•Two	vehicles	are	chosen
•Fluid	levels	and	brakes	are	checked	and	vehicles	inspected	for	any		
obvious	problems	
•Vehicles	are	taken	to	the	workshop	for	another	more	detailed	
inspection
•The	vehicles	are	driven	for	exactly	35km	over	a	set	out	route	with	
two	stops	for	intermediary	checks
Back	at	the	workshop
•The	ridden	mileage	is	entered	in	the	logbook	of	the	vehicle
•A	condition	report	is	established
•Afterwards	vehicles	are	put	back	on	their	initial	place

�Conclusions
.We have outlined a developing approach
to the conservation, maintenance and use
of our working collection that incorporates
assessment of significance and risk.
We have developed a consequence
assessment which we believe will be
useful in assessing storage, exhibition
and use of functional objects.

�Conclusions
• We have highlighted the importance of
analytical research and the gathering of
statistical data in developing a flexible
maintenance program for each
functional object.
• We will continue to develop and
consolidate these approachs in
collaboration with others Nationally and
Internationally

�Acknowledgements
Ursula Satler, Chris Hedditch, Megan
Absolon, Lachlan Badger, Andreas
Kreil.
• David Thurrowgood, Joanna Barr, Ian
MacLoad, John Ashton
• Colin Ogilvie, Ian Stewart, Eric Archer
• Dudley Creagh (UC), ANU RSC, Adrian
Lowe, Engineering ANU.

�Questions

�Can t he AWM use an object from t he collect ion?
What is t he significance of t he object ?

1995 How have we
progressed?

What about t he object is import ant and must be preserved?

Import ant Hist oric Object

T ype example

Reproduct ion

not t o be used

Can be used

Maint enance
Monit oring

Maint enance
What is it 's current st at e?

Monit oring
What Rat e of degradat ion
can be accept ed?

Feed-back

What is t he risk of use?
What is t he cost of use vs st orage?
How can we cont rol t he degridat ion?

Safet y

Use and Work

Wear
Speed and locat ion

T raining and supervision
Observat ion and compasion

Mileage

Maint enance

Document at ion

Monit oring

Feed-back from monit oring condit ion

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