Monitoring for preservation of heritage structures

The complete solution for monitoring of historic buildings, structures and landmarks

Our historic buildings, heritage structures and ancient landmarks are treasured both culturally and architecturally. Their preservation is important. Yet nearby construction activities or re-development of these assets increases the risk we damage them, this can also occur when being used differently to the original design intention. Historic structures become susceptible to deformation over time, leading to potentially increasing safety concerns and rising maintenance costs.

Deformation monitoring provides real-time information about movements, allowing data-driven decisions to prolong the life of structures, ensure their protection, and contribute to proactive reductions of maintenance.

Total Monitoring is the combination of data from geodetic monitoring sensors (total stations, GNSS or levels) with geotechnical and environmental sensors (tilt sensors, crack or strain gauges, weather stations, etc.) and interferometric radar. It delivers the complete picture about occurring events aiding a greater understanding of the influence on structures. Using innovative scanning technologies for automated monitoring, the Leica MS60 MultiStation can obtain data in a non-intrusive way, without disturbing the surface of monitored objects.

Why monitoring is essential for historic structures:

Monitoring structural health is critical where structures are susceptible to deterioration over time and when adjacent activities affect their stability, reducing the structural integrity and increasing safety concerns during continued operation and preservation.
During any maintenance or renovation, the buildings or landmarks are subjected to additional forces limiting the structure’s resilience, deformation monitoring aids teams to understand the effects of their works and ensure that they prolong the useable life of the structures without damaging them. Thus, knowing that any restoration works are safe activities to progress.
Protection during nearby construction development of these assets is critical. Disturbance of ground during nearby construction causes movements which can introduce increased stress on the structure, causing deformation or distortions. Early warning of these can prevent damage to the structure.
Documenting historical change, such as cracks or alignments of objects is crucial for structural monitoring records associated with the change during its lifetime. This can aid the preservation for future generations and also it can provide a history of change if a disaster occurs.
Environmental change can have a huge impact on older structures, which were not designed to modern standards or expectations. Severe weather events, erosion over time or natural shifting of the Earth’s surface, may cause instability which can significantly affect or damage structures. Monitoring these events and the impact they have is essential for preservation and for future continued use.

This video presents typical generic examples of monitoring installations on a heritage structure, yet every monitoring project requires its own specifically assessed and designed monitoring system thus specialists should be consulted before any installation.

Casestudies

Monitoring the historic Dom Carre Hotel during renovation

Monitoring a heritage hotel in the historic centre of Cologne

Preserved as a historic building, the original façade and staircase of the Dom Hotel had to be preserved while partial demolition of its internal structure was carried out.

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