Author(s)

CHRYSANTHOS MARAVEAS, FOTIOS ANDRIS

Abstract

This paper presents the assessment, rehabilitation and strengthening of a heritage masonry structure in Piraeus, Greece. The two-storey structure was constructed around 1900 and is used as a student restaurant at the University of Piraeus. The geometry is complex for a masonry structure and, furthermore, the masonry walls have been prestressed via wrought-iron tendons. The floors are constructed with the jack-arch method, supported by steel girders. This study was particularly challenging because of uncertainties regarding the properties of the structural materials and alterations to the live loads related to the change in the use of the building. Because the building has been declared a protected monument by the Greek State, the primary concern of the suggested retrofit was the preservation of its architectural and historical value. Thus, additional issues arose in the effort to minimize interventions. Extensive numerical simulations are presented and an extended discussion is included regarding the appropriate rehabilitation and strengthening techniques in order to satisfy both the basic principles for heritage rehabilitation and the required safety level.

Keywords

historical buildings, masonry, retrofit, strengthening, restoration