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 struc-tural engineers, Structural Investigation of Historic Buildings gives preservation-minded professionalsthe tools they need to ensure that potential candidates for restoration, rehabilitation, or adaptive reusedo not meet the wrecking ball without a second chance.

Historic structures provide an opportunity to study aspects of structural engineering, materials science, forensic engineering, and building design. Structural Investigation of Historic Buildings helps prepare consulting structural engineers and others to deal with issues unique to historic structures. Emphasizing structural evaluation and condition assessment based on sound preservation philosophy, without burdening the reader with tedious calculations, the book gives a description of structural analysis, with discussions and recommendations offered through engaging case studies. The book can serve as a text for students anticipating a preservation career; seasoned structural engineers looking to fulfill certifications or advanced degrees in historic preservation; or for interested students in variety disciplines--history, architecture, art history, planning, engineering, and construction management.

David C. Fischetti, PE, is a civil engineering graduate of Clemson University. A Registered Professional Engineer in seventeen states, he has thirty-nine years of structural design experience. He is President of DCF Engineering, Inc., located in Cary, North Carolina.