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.

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.

A comprehensive approach to the preservation of historic timber structures. The authors demonstrate that repair methods must be geared towards the specific cultural, architectural and environmental conditions of the area where the timber structure is located.

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.