1. Conservational repair
“The primary purpose of conservational repair is to
control the process of decay without damaging the character of buildings or monuments, altering the features which give them
historic or architectural importance and
not disturbing or destroying historic fabric.”
Conservation planning and strategies
Minimum loss of fabric
Minimum intervention (addition)
Minimum loss of authenticity (genuineness/ truthfulness)
Reversibility
Absence of deceit (cheating/ falseness)/ honesty of intervention

2. Conservational process
carryout an investigation of any cultural asset, its fabric, its defects, their causes and sources
able to formulate a strategy for appropriate intervention
Any historical asset is subject to decay
through ageing,
interaction of materials and weather and,
what has happened to it contextually and through use.

3. Investigation of the archaeologist
Traditionally the role of the archaeologist has been associated as a sub surface discipline based on stripping down layers to gain understanding.
Advances in technology has allowed the process of archaeological analysis to be undertaken without loss of overlying layers of development,
use of photomodelling software and
laser measuring techniques has facilitated three dimensional deconstruction without physical damage to historic fabric.
Such technology is extremely useful in trauma situations such as fire damage.

4. What was the original brief for the asset and any subsequent works
basic questions to ask yourself to help in developing your understanding of an asset:
What is the cultural significance of the asset, both historical and aesthetic
What was the social, cultural, technological, economic and political context in which the asset was originally conceived constructed and subsequently changed and how has its importance changed/developed as a result of changes in use or appearance
What is the date of the asset, originally and by subsequent periods of development (and what was the date/effect of subsequent periods of development)
Who was the patron or original client and subsequent clients/patrons and their involvement
What was the original brief for the asset and any subsequent works
Who was the architect or designer and who built it

5. How was it constructed/altered
basic questions to ask yourself to help in developing your understanding of an asset:
How was it constructed/altered
What was its original and subsequent function(s)
Which parts are original and which alterations
What are the materials and methods of construction and what is their condition
What is the form and style and what was its meaning
What was the original context and how has the asset’s landscape or setting changed/developed
What was the public response to the building in its original form and as a result of subsequent changes: How has that assessment/understanding changed
What is happening to the building in terms of deterioration and how might this be affecting significance
What is the structural condition and is it stable

6. Category of Building Defects – Structural/ Non structural defects
1. Structural defect - any defect in a structural element of a building attributable
to defective structural design,
defective or faulty workmanship or
defective material
Building structure includes earth retaining walls, columns, beams and flat slabs.
Structural defect can be categorized as
cracks in foundations (Substructure),
cracks in floor or slabs (superstructure),
and cracks in walls (superstructure).
These defects can be caused (immediate cause) by
improper soil analysis,
inappropriate site selection, and
the use of defective materials.

7. Category of Building Defects
Structural defect –
Structural defects in a building causes over time due to
deterioration,
wear and tear,
overloading, and
poor maintenance.
They must be repaired to maintain the building’s structure and to prevent any further failures.
Regular inspection is the key to protecting the ‘health’ of a building’s structure.

8. 3. Common Building Defects
In general, there have several building defects which usually occur to building parts such as roofs, walls, floors, ceiling, toilets, doors and windows.
consists of wall crack,
peeling paint,
dampness,
timber decay,
fungi and small plant attack,
sagging or deformation,
erosion of mortar joint,
defective plaster rendering,
insect or termite attack,
roof defect, and also
unstable foundation, and
services.

9. b) Non-structural defect
as a result of defective residential building work.
non-structural defect includes
defect in brick work,
dampness in old structures, and
defects in plaster works.

10. 3. Common Building Defects
consists of wall crack,

11. 3. Common Building Defects
peeling paint,

12. 3. Common Building Defects
dampness,

13. 3. Common Building Defects
timber decay,

14. 3. Common Building Defects
fungi and small plant attack,

15. 3. Common Building Defects
Sagging (bending) or deformation (changing shape/form)

16. 3. Common Building Defects
erosion of mortar joint,

17. 3. Common Building Defects
defective plaster rendering,

18. 3. Common Building Defects
insect or termite attack,

19. 3. Common Building Defects
roof defect,

20. 3. Common Building Defects
services.

21. Causes and agencies of decay
Weathering (change in daily temperature, change in seasonal temperatures, rainfall)
Adverse interaction with other adjacent materials
Excess loading
Inappropriate design and detailing
Limitations of materials use
Limitations of life expectancy
Effects of damp (corrosion, dissolution, decay, mould growth)
Effects of fungal and insect damage (biological change)
Differential movement
Mechanical damage
Natural deterioration (see Second Law of Thermodynamics: all processes tend towards decay and disintegration)
Natural degradation (sunlight on organic materials for example)
Simple failure
Natural faults in materials

22. Causes and agencies of decay
External (including climatic) – daily/seasonal temperatures, precipitation, ground water
Biological and botanical – impact of flora and fauna on built environment
Impact of natural disasters – fire, floods, lightning, rising sea level, landslips, storm winds, earthquakes
Natural deterioration and degradation – laws of thermodynamics, solar (UV) radiation, acid rain
Action of moisture – effects of damp (corrosion, dissolution, decay, mould growth), effects of fungal and insect damage (biological change)
Material characteristics – natural faults, adverse interaction, inappropriate design and detailing, physical limitations (e.g. lifespan)
Chemical deterioration (e.g. acid rain)
Mechanical damage – accident, neglect, air pollution, vandalism, theft, graffiti, vibration damage
Structural issues – loss of integrity, excess loading, differential movement, subsidence
Structural repairs – strengthening, reinforcement, reconstruction

23. Intervention
Determining the appropriate degree of intervention, from cosmetic repairs to structural reinforcement and reconstruction
Use of modern techniques and materials
Adaptive reuse of historic sites and fabric, including alteration and extension
Importance of timing, context and reversibility of interventions
Maintenance
Value of regular building maintenance based on the availability of expertise, skills, materials and funding
Importance of cyclical regimes (e.g. monthly, annually, five-yearly) as part of overall maintenance strategies specific to site and local conditions