Successive treatments involving laser, mechanical and chemical cleaning and consolidation preceded more intensive conservation efforts such as mechanical pinning and repair with stone Dutchmen. Laboratory testing of phased treatments was performed on stone fragments from Capital 12 as a pilot strategy prior to full scale implementation. To address the gypsum crusts, immobilization and consolidation through barium hydroxide treatments were tested and SEM-EDS analysis used to asses their effectiveness. The results of this pilot project were used to develop a conservation proposal for all eighteen capitals.

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