Assessment ‐ Introduction, procedure and methodology

The examination of the structural condition is one of the most important parts of the assessment of an existing building. Examinations have to be done with great care, using the appropriate testing methods and tools. The analysis of a building’s condition determines its cohesion in terms of construction and evaluates the safety and serviceability of the structures. It also detects damage to structural elements and lays the groundwork for rein-forcement, renovation or monitoring measures. An advantage of timber structures is that discolouration or cracks make it relatively easy to visually recognise problem areas; these can be defined early when visual inspection is combined with measuring the humidity of the wood. Additional methods are available for analysing a building’s condition more comprehensively and making more detailed measurements. The testing methods used in assess-ing a building’s condition are divided into three categories: non-destructive, semi-destructive and destructive. The different testing methods are well described in current literature e.g. [1], [3], [6].