Application of Engineering Techniques for the Restoration and Strengthening of Historic House Structures

Abstract

Historic houses are cultural heritage assets that embody the historical and architectural identity of their era, deserving of preservation. This article explores the application of engineering techniques for the restoration of a 95-year-old elevated wooden house. The project focuses on strengthening existing reinforced concrete columns, which have deteriorated over time. In restoring historic houses, it is crucial to balance structural integrity with the preservation of cultural identity. However, a step involves inspecting and evaluating the structural condition of the house. Initial assessments include visual inspections. Then, the compressive strength of the concrete is tested non-destructively with a hammer and rebar scanning to determine the placement of reinforcement bars. The collected data were analyzed, and design guidelines for strengthening the column structure were developed. This involves encasing the existing concrete columns by drilling and inserting reinforcing steel with chemical agents that can effectively bond reinforcing steel and concrete. In addition, the concrete column covering is only 5 to 7 centimeters thick. The material used is therefore a self-compacting mortar that has good workability, helping to reduce the problem of pouring concrete in a structure with limited size. The results demonstrate the effective application of modern technology in small-scale projects. The custom mortar mix design could reduce costs and serve the use of expensive pre-mixed materials as a guideline for small contractors to adapt and apply in similar restoration projects.