First published in 1996, this volume has been substantially updated to reflect new research in the conservation of stone monuments, sculpture, and archaeological sites.

This handbook addresses three areas of concern for the museum administrator concerning the protection of historic buildings, monuments, and archaeological sites located in seismic areas. It proposes pre-disaster measures such as taking accurate and complete documentation (photogrammetry is discussed in one of the 13 appendixes), risk awareness, planning, maintenance and inspections, etc. Second, when an earthquake strikes, the immediate emergency steps necessary to protect life and property are indicated; and after the earthquake, the strengthening of valuable cultural property (based on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale, also in an appendix) should be included in the general program of prevention maintenance along with the repairs discussed in detail applicable to each architectural element, and to the site as a whole.

Structural analysis of architectural heritage is a new and growing branch of engineering. Knowledge of the history of architecture, material characteristics, instruments and techniques for investigations, diagnosis and restoration are all vital aspects for the correct understanding of structural behaviour and the ability to make correct decisions for repair and strengthening techniques. Designed for use by all professionals involved or interested in the preservation of monuments, the purpose of this book is to contribute to the development of new approaches in the area. Many of the examples examined, including the Colosseum, the Tower of Pisa, the Pyramid of Chephren, the Tilla Kari Mosque in Samarkand, the temples of Angkor and Konarak, the Santa Maria Vieja Cathedral, the domes of St Peter, Hagia Sophia, the Pantheon, St Ignatio de Loyola and St Charles, are the result of projects and studies carried out during Giorgio Croci's distinguished career. The book features numerous black and white photographs and illustrations by the author.

This book provides a holistic perspective on the sustainable conservation of heritage buildings through outlining the factors that influence the preservation, operational performance and maintainability of heritage buildings and the application of new methodologies and technologies. Using real cases from Egypt, a country which comprises a vast number of unique heritage structures, each of which is deteriorating at its own pace, this book presents a systematic, data-based approach to manage aging and deteriorating heritage assets in a cost-effective way. The authors initially provide an overview and history of conservation and maintenance work as well as the current codes and standards that regulate the preservation of these buildings. Further chapters then cover: The technology used to digitally document heritage buildings, including LIDAR, photogrammetry, Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM), and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies Introducing a Maintainability Index of Heritage Buildings (MIHB) to support the decision-making and prioritization process for the maintenance of heritage buildings The adaptive reuse of heritage buildings Modelling embodied and operational energy performance Using Chatbot and Blockchain technology to support the management and preservation of heritage buildings Ultimately, this book presents a useful tool for use in heritage management and highlights how the reusability of heritage buildings is critical to the creation and survival of sustainable communities. It will be useful reading for researchers, architects, engineers and especially those involved in the management of heritage buildings.

Non-destructive testing (NDT) is based on inspection methodologies that do not require the change or destruction of the component or system under evaluation. Numerous NDT techniques are increasingly used, thanks to the recent advances in sensing technologies, data acquisition, data storage and signal processing. Inspection information is widely employed in order to make effective maintenance decisions based on the defects identified, their location and severity. This book presents the main advances recently made on different NDT techniques, together with the principal approaches employed to process the signals obtained during inspection.