Strengthening of existing buildings: an introduction

• Lizzie Blaisdell Collins ^[1] ; Joe White ^[2]
  1. [1] Build Change
  2. [2] Holmes Consulting LP
• Localización: The Structural Engineer: journal of the Institution of Structural Engineer, ISSN 1466-5123, Vol. 99, Nº. 9, 2021, págs. 20-24
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • As a society, we need to make better use of the building stock we already have, extending the life of our buildings rather than demolishing and rebuilding them. This is one of the most signifi cant ways we can reduce our impact on the environment1 and prepare for the eff ects of climate change. Strengthening is a key component in this endeavour – enabling changes of use, achieving compliance with modern building codes, resisting a previously unforeseen environmental load or increasing resilience.

    It is possible to repurpose and/or extend the life of buildings of all forms, materials and vintages. However, a wide range of solutions is needed to cater for local constraints, opportunities and diff ering needs of structures in diff erent parts of the world.

    This article aims to provide information on how to identify the specifi c needs of a project and an overview of potential design approaches that might suit the challenge. A broad description of some common strengthening options is given, as well as guidance on where to fi nd more information, and two case studies.

    Please note that repair of existing structures is not covered here but may be addressed in a future article. Maximising the assessed capacity of existing structures has been explored in previous articles in The Structural Engineer2,3.

    These topics are also vital to extending the life of our building stock and should be given close consideration by all structural engineers.