A comprehensive approach to the preservation of historic timber structures. The authors demonstrate that repair methods must be geared towards the specific cultural, architectural and environmental conditions of the area where the timber structure is located.

Timber deals with wide-ranging use of the material in historic buildings, from vaststructural timber-frames through to high-class joinery and simple fixings. Particular attention is paid to how and why timber decays or faults occur, and the methods of assessing and dealing with this. The bulk of the book covers appropriate methods of repair and maintenance.

"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."--Publisher's website.

This book is the third in a series of volumes that combine conservation philosophy in the built environment with knowledge of traditional materials, and structural and constructional conservation techniques and technology: Understanding Historic Building Conservation Structures & Construction in Historic Building Conservation Materials & Skills for Historic Building Conservation The series aims to introduce each aspect of conservation and to provide concise, basic and up-to-date knowledge for architects, surveyors and engineers as well as for commissioning client bodies, managers and advisors. In each book, Michael Forsyth draws together chapters by leading architects, structural engineers and related professionals to reflect the interdisciplinary nature of conservation work. The books are structured to be of direct practical application, taking the reader through the process of historic building conservation and emphasising throughout the integrative teamwork involved. The present volume - Materials & Skills for Historic Building Conservation – describes the characteristics and process of decay of traditional materials which inform the selection of appropriate repair techniques. It provides essential information on the properties of the principal traditional external building materials. Their availability, sourcing and environmental impact is covered, as well as the causes of erosion and decay, and the skills required for their application on conservation projects. It covers the main most commonly used materials and conservation techniques including stone, brickwork, lime products, concrete, iron and steel, timber, wattle and daub, and glass, Thirteen chapters written by the experts present today's key issues in materials and skills for historic building conservation: Gus Astley, Patrick Baty, Charley Brentnall, Michael Bussell, Michael Forsyth, Tony Graham, Chris Harris, David McLaughlin, Brian Ridout, Mike Stock, Geoff Wallis, Ian Williams, Rory Young

England has a surprising number of timber-framed buildings, many dating back to pre 1700, which are listed buildings. There is now an increasing demand for these buildings to be adapted to suit modern day requirements. This book takes a practical approach and discusses materials and carpentry techniques used in the repair of these buildings, along with a qualitative account of the structural behaviour of the timber elements.

This practical guide to the assessment and repair of historic buildings is invaluable for structural engineers, architects, surveyors and builders working in all aspects of building conservation. Taking a practical step-by-step approach, the authors discuss the appraisal of buildings and the differences in structural behaviour between new and existing structures. Each stage in the appraisal is explained, using examples from the authors' own work. Each major construction material is assessed in detail, with separate sections on masonry, concrete, timber and the particularly complex issues of iron and steel framed buildings. Techniques for testing the ability of a building to continue its existing use or to be converted to a new use are explained.

Since its publication in 1982 Sir Bernard Feilden's Conservation of Historic Buildings has become the standard text for architects and others involved in the conservation of historic structures. Leading practitioners around the world have praised the book as being the most significant single volume on the subject to be published. This third edition revises and updates a classic book, including completely new sections on conservation of Modern Movement buildings and non-destructive investigation. The result of the lifetime's experience of one of the world's leading architectural conservators, the book comprehensively surveys the fundamental principles of conservation in their application to historic buildings, and provides the basic information needed by architects, engineers and surveyors for the solution of problems of architectural conservation in almost every climatic region of the world. This edition is organized into three complementary parts: in the first the structure of buildings is dealt with in detail; the second focuses attention on the causes of decay and the materials they affect; and the third considers the practical role of the architect involved in conservation and rehabilitation. As well as being essential reading for architects and others concerned with conservation, many lay people with various kinds of responsibility for historic buildings will find this clearly written, jargon-free work a fruitful source of guidance and information.

This is the first book to tackle all the issues relating to timber decay. It presents the facts and explores timber decay problems through case studies. These are illustrated with clear self-explanatory photographs for the reader to use as a diagnostic aid. Section 1 discusses timber as a living material, Section 2 deals with decay organisms and their habitat requirements. Section 3 moves on to the building as an environment for timber and discusses the ways in which wood responds to moisture change. Section 4 ends with an approach to timber decay which integrates knowledge on the decay organism, its requirements and natural predators with appropriate and targeted chemical treatments.

Over the concluding decades of the twentieth century, the historic preservation community increasingly turned its attention to modern buildings, including bungalows from the 1930s, gas stations and diners from the 1940s, and office buildings and architectural homes from the 1950s. Conservation efforts, however, were often hampered by a lack of technical information about the products used in these structures, and to fill this gap Twentieth-Century Building Materials was developed by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service and first published in 1995. Now, this invaluable guide is being reissued—with a new preface by the book’s original editor. With more than 250 illustrations, including a full-color photographic essay, the volume remains an indispensable reference on the history and conservation of modern building materials. Thirty-seven essays written by leading experts offer insights into the history, manufacturing processes, and uses of a wide range of materials, including glass block, aluminum, plywood, linoleum, and gypsum board. Readers will also learn about how these materials perform over time and discover valuable conservation and repair techniques. Bibliographies and sources for further research complete the volume. The book is intended for a wide range of conservation professionals including architects, engineers, conservators, and material scientists engaged in the conservation of modern buildings, as well as scholars in related disciplines.

Nonconventional and Vernacular Construction Materials: Characterisation, Properties and Applications, Second Edition covers the topic by taking into account sustainability, the conservation movement, and current interests in cultural identity and its preservation. This updated edition presents case studies, information on relevant codes and regulations, and how they apply (or do not apply) to nocmats. Leading international experts contribute chapters on current applications and the engineering of these construction materials. Sections review vernacular construction, provide future directions for nonconventional and vernacular materials research, focus on natural fibers, and cover the use of industrial byproducts and natural ashes in cement mortar and concrete. - Takes a scientifically rigorous approach to vernacular and non-conventional building materials and their applications - Includes a series of case studies and new material on codes and regulations, thus providing an invaluable compendium of practical knowhow - Presents the wider context of materials science and its applications in the sustainability agenda