A toolkit for giving our historic built environment a second life

Conservation of our existing structures has obvious economic and social value. Moreover, historic structures provide an excellent laboratory for studying aspects of structural engineering, materials science, forensic engineering, and building design. Structural Investigation of Historic Buildings: A Case Study Guide to Preservation Technology for Buildings, Bridges, Towers, and Mills provides a practical guide for consulting structural engineers and others on dealing with issues unique to historic structures.

Emphasizing structural evaluation and condition assessment based on sound preservation philosophy, but without burdening the reader with tedious calculations, the book discusses the role of the structural engineer in the evaluation and preservation process and discusses such topics as structural safety, analysis, and conservation. Engaging case studies, drawn from the author's own practice, include:

• The Montague Building and Watauga Hall

• The Restoration of St. Helena's Church

• Market Hall Rehabilitation

• Differential Settlement at St. Philip's Moravian Church

• James Madison's Montpelier

• Relocating the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

• The Timber Trusses of Burr, Town, and Haupt

• The Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge

• A New Covered Bridge for Old Salem

• The Tohickon Aqueduct

Each case study features a description of the project and its history, a condition assessment, structural analysis, discussion, recommendations, and a description of the subsequent intervention as executed with drawings and photographs.

Both a foundational text for students anticipating a career in preservation and a guide for seasoned structural engineers, Structural Investigation of Historic Buildings gives preservation-minded professionals the tools they need to ensure that potential candidates for restoration, rehabilitation, or adaptive reuse do not meet the wrecking ball without a second chance.Content:
Chapter 1 Historic Structures: The Role of the Structural Engineer (pages 1–14):
Chapter 2 Preservation and Public Safety: Structural Safety of Historic Timber Structures (pages 15–19):
Chapter 3 Simplified Engineering (pages 21–39):
Chapter 4 Conservation and the Specialty Contractor (pages 41–56):
Chapter 5 Historic Timber Structures (pages 57–70):
Chapter 6 Watauga Hall and the Montague Building (pages 71–90):
Chapter 7 The Restoration of St. Helena's Church (pages 91–113):
Chapter 8 Market Hall Rehabilitation (pages 115–122):
Chapter 9 Differential Settlement at St. Philip's Moravian Church at Old Salem (pages 123–138):
Chapter 10 James Madison's Montpelier (pages 139–147):
Chapter 11 Timber, Glulam, and Conservation (pages 149–168):
Chapter 12 Tabby: Engineering Characteristics of a Vernacular Construction Material (pages 169–179):
Chapter 13 Relocating the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (pages 181–205):
Chapter 14 Crisis in American Covered Bridges (pages 207–210):
Chapter 15 The Timber Trusses of Burr, Town, and Haupt (pages 211–226):
Chapter 16 The Cornish?Windsor Covered Bridge (pages 227–239):
Chapter 17 A New Covered Bridge for Old Salem (pages 241–251):
Chapter 18 The Tohickon Aqueduct (pages 253–261):
Chapter 19 The Current State of Historic Preservation Engineering: One Engineer's Point of View (pages 263–270):