- Structural Design
- Seismic Evaluation & Retrofit of Existing Structures
- Post-Event Damage Assessment
- Damage Investigation
- Forensic Engineering
- Structural Health Monitoring & System Identification
- Bridge Engineering
- Historic Structures
- Independent Review & Peer Review
- Construction Quality Control & Supervision Review
Historic Structures
Historic structures require an approach fundamentally different from that used for modern buildings. Their structural systems, materials, construction techniques, and performance expectations are often undocumented, nonstandard, and shaped by the practices of their time. Engineering intervention therefore begins with understanding, rather than modification.
Scope of Work
Our work on historic structures includes:
- Structural assessment of heritage buildings
- Seismic performance evaluation of existing historic structures
- Development of sensitive retrofit and strengthening strategies
- Assessment of material degradation and long-term deterioration
- Structural health monitoring for condition assessment and performance tracking
Approach
Each historic structure is evaluated as a unique system shaped by its original construction methods, materials, alterations over time, and current use. Investigations emphasize field observations, documentation of existing conditions, and careful interpretation of structural behavior.
Analytical models are developed selectively and with appropriate levels of idealization, recognizing the limitations of material data and construction details. Interventions are designed in harmony with architectural and cultural significance while addressing governing structural vulnerabilities.
Retrofit Philosophy
Retrofit strategies prioritize compatibility, reversibility where possible, and minimum necessary intervention. Rather than imposing modern structural systems, solutions are developed to work with the existing structure, preserving both physical integrity and historic character.
Codes and Guidelines
Assessments and interventions are informed by internationally recognized principles for the conservation of historic structures, together with applicable seismic evaluation standards. However, historic structures rarely fit neatly within prescriptive categories. In practice, codes provide a general framework, while the specific characteristics of each structure (its materials, construction methods, and accumulated history) require case-by-case evaluation guided by engineering experience and judgment.