The preservation and conservation of historic buildings begins with the study of the causes and sources of deterioration. Analysis techniques range from the observation of building performance, to the analysis of historic materials, to the measurement of stresses within the construction. Knowing the existing conditions and the tolerable range of stress that each material type or construction detail can accommodate is critical for developing corrective measures and for determining long term maintenance requirements.

 

Below are examples of stress monitoring and material testing performed on a number of buildings including the ca. 1740 Horton House on Jekyll Island, Georgia, and early 20th Century buildings in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Greensboro, North Carolina. The construction of these historic buildings varies from timber frame, to tabby, to brick, to concrete frame, and as a group represent developments in construction that span two centuries.

 

Each construction material responds differently to moisture exposure and environmental stresses, and each building type requires a different approach to both analysis and corrective measures. Analysis and monitoring techniques include intra-wall and surface moisture detection, salt concentration identification, surface strain gage monitoring, temperature and relative humidity monitoring, and historic mortar, plaster and stucco analysis. The results of the studies are recommendations for correction of the causes of deterioration in the form of reports, outline specifications for conservation treatments, detail drawings, and schedules of work items, as required.