REPAIR OF HISTORICAL TIMBER ROOF

STRUCTURE AND FLOOR BEAMS

Conservation and strenghtening of monumental heritage structures

BUILDING CHOSEN AS A REFERENCE OBJECT
San Giovanni Evangelista Church
 THE ROOF
Tie beam

Rafters
Queen Post Truss
Two vertical queen posts

Straining beam
CHURCHS FLOOR PLAN

Length of the tie beam: 8,5 m

Distance between queen posts: 3 m

Beam spacing: 1,5 m

 METHODS USED TO DETERMINE MATERIAL
CHARACTERISTICS
Non destructive Destructive
methods methods

Ultrasonic Acoustic Screw Compression

Fibroscope Penetrometer Bending test
measurements measurements withdrawal test

Semi-destructive

NON DESTRUCTIVE Dont cause any significant damage to the structure

DESTRUCTIVE Break the wood to obtain data

 Appropiate for building historical
inspection
Non- Precision of results depends on the
person doing the tests
destructive Provide sufficiently precise
information about material quality

methods Hidden defects, cracks, areas of

biotic damage
Devices are light in weight
ULTRASONIC MEASUREMENT (SYLVATEST)
The device operates with ultrasonic waves
Control box, two conical transducers and a probe for
humidity measurement
The wave propagates along the element from one
transducer to another
Record the time t required for the transmission

Dynamic modulus of
= elasticity Ed

= 2
Density
 ACOUSTIC MEASUREMENT
This device uses and acoustic wave to asses the material quality
The wave is excited by a hammer blow on one side
A sensitive microphone records the wave on the opposite side
 FIBROSCOPE
Estimate the wood degradation
The device uses flexible optical fiber
Easy and direct exploration of cavities in the wood
TECHNIQUES FOR REPAIR OR
STRENGTHENING
Structural
integrity

Honesty Like for like

MAINTENANCE
PRINCIPLES

Minimal
Reversibility
intervetion
 MAIN CAUSES
OF
DETERIORATION

DECAY OVER-LOADING POOR DESIGN

FUNGAL ATTACK

INSECT INFESTATION
XYLOPHAGOUS INSECTS

TERMITES

TREATMENTS
Freezing and gas
Substances by brush or injection
Acorns as beit

WOOD BEETLE
REPAIR OF DETERIORATED TIMBER BEAM
Two types of deterioration assumed:

Damaged end of the beam

Due to timber being embedded or in
contact with dump masonry

Losses of cross-sectional area

Due to insect attack
 DAMAGED END OF THE BEAM
SOLUTION 1: STEEL PLATES

Inspect the damaged Cut off the damaged

Prop the timber
section end

Position the new timber

Place the new timber
with the plate on the Measure and cut a
into the repair plate and
Wall and ensure that replacement piece of
screw into place using
the original timber sits timber
coach screws
over the plate

Put another prop under

the steel plate of the
Screw the plate to the
existing timber and Remove the props
existing timber
push it so they are
butted together
 SOLUTION 2: RESIN SPLICE JOIST

Inspect the damaged Cut off the damaged

Prop the timber
section end

Drill the required

High tensile threaded
number of holes into Measure and cut a
steel bars are inserted
the front face end of replacement piece of
and bonded in the new
the new piece along its timber
timber piece
length

Put the new timber piece

Cut a slot into the in place with the Steel
original beam in a U bars sitting on the slot of
shape to the required the original beam and
length of the steel bars ensure they are bonded
together
Mix the resin until it is
smooth and pour it into
the slot until it is filled
to the very top
CHOSEN SOLUTION STEEL PLATES
Quick and neat solution
Cheaper than resine splice
No so invasive
Resin splice is complicated for something that should be simple
 LOSSES OF CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA
SOLUTION 1: REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT

Original members and parts should not be removed. The care for its value as original part of the structure is the central
objective of the conservation intervention and therefore its removal is considered to be a malpractice to conservation
principles. In the case of extremely advanced states of decay, when conservation by other means is demonstrated to be
impossible or unreasonable its substitution can be considered

CRITERIA IN CASE OF
REMOVAL

Avoid incompatibilities
Use the same specie of
between new and historical
wood
parts
If appropriated,
Moisture content and other
craftsmanship and
physical properties should
construction technology
be close to the existing
should correspond with
structure
those used originally
 SOLUTION 2: STRENGTHENING BY THE ADDITION OF ELEMENTS

2.1. TIMBER

The strengthening of sections using timber elements is done by adding new timber elements
to the original beam, connecting both members using traditional timber carpentry or steel
connectors.
2.2. STEEL

Added to the deteriorated part of

the timber beam in order to
ELEMENTS increase its carrying capacity.

Steel Bonded with EPOXY RESIN

bars
Connection is done with steel bolts, studs or
dowels
Plates

Profiles
2.3. FIBRE REINFORCED POLYMERS

Fibre reinforced polymers are composite, heterogeneous and anisotropic materials with a
prevalent linear behaviour until failure.
An FRP-reinforcement consists of connecting parts
(stripes, plates or rods of high strength fibres embedded in a polymer matrix) and a bonding
agent (glue, mortar or casting compound)

Make cut slots in Insert the fibre

Fill them with the
the wooden reinforced
bonding agent
beam polymer element
CHOSEN SOLUTION ADDITION OF TIMBER ELEMENTS
+ USE OF RESIN
It has been used and tested during centuries
Reliability A lot of information about traditional techniques used in historical
buildings

Avoid material incompatibilities due to different behaviour of

Durability materials to external actions
Historical timber structures can reach several centuries of age

Cause reduced damage to historical fabric and allow its future

Reversibility substitution if it is required

It is not invasive as we are using the same material as the original

Aesthetics beam
Less visual impact
THANKS FOR YOUR
ATTENTION