22-09-2017, 11:22 AM
Buildings with historical values are regional cultural assets worth preserving. The design technologies and building materials and methods that went into the original construction of these buildings are often drastically different from their contemporary counterparts, their structural renovation or retrofit brings many technical challenges to the design professional. This document conducts a general study of technical issues related to the seismic rehabilitation of historic buildings and examines various design procedures and construction methods for that purpose, including innovative technologies such as post-tensioning, seismic isolation, attributes structural characteristics typical of historical structures in terms of their structural rigidity, strength and ductility, how these parameters changed over the years, reliable methodologies to evaluate these primary structural attributes and associated design implications for structural adaptation or risk mitigation. Much of the discussion is based on a combination of perspective provisions in building codes and alternative performance-based approaches to meet the criteria of equilibrium, strain compatibility and energy dissipation, while giving considerable weight to the factors that influence the preservation of non-structural elements of historical value. A brief summary of the consequences of costs is also provided. Buildings with historical value are regional cultural assets worth preserving. Sometimes they also represent a potential source of income and stimulus for the economic revitalization of their neighborhoods. Factors used to classify a building as historic may vary in different countries and cultures, so obviously not all aging buildings fall into historical or monumental category. In the United States, a building is historic if it is at least 50 years old and is inscribed or potentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and / or a state or local registry as an individual structure or as a contributory structure in a district. In prevailing practice, the oldest structures are demolished and replaced by modern buildings for economic and performance reasons, unless they can be claimed historical. The adaptation process is a general term that can consist of a variety of treatments, including: preservation, rehabilitation, restoration and reconstruction (Kelly, 1996). Preservation is defined as the process of applying measures to sustain the existing form, integrity, and materials of a historic property.