The conservation of heritage structures is pivotal not only due to their cultural or historical
importance for nations, but also for understanding their construction techniques as a lesson …

The non-destructive assessment of mechanical properties of timber members in situ is
currently done by applying visual strength grading standards (VSG) which were developed …

The assessment of insect degradation on the surface of timber elements is a key point in
evaluating the safety of wooden buildings. The depth and the degree of the insect attack are …

Abstract Service life planning and performance classification are key issues in the building
sector. Well-functioning 'performance models' are absolutely essential to predict the service …

There is considerable investment in timber utility poles worldwide, and there is a need to
examine the structural reliability and probability based management optimisation of these …

The maintenance of historic wooden structures requires the assessment of the timber
elements that compose them. The accurate knowledge of their mechanical performance is a …

Retrofitting of existing timber roofs may be necessary due to new needs of use or due to the
historical significance of the structure. In both cases, a thorough understanding of the …

Historic timber structures are frequently composed by elements with irregular sections.
Moreover, due to abiotic and biotic agent action, wood is especially vulnerable to decay …

Existing timber structures are often affected by peripheral degradation due to insect attack.
The contribution of the degraded areas of the beam cross-section to the load bearing …

Reliability assessment of existing timber structures subjected to deterioration processes is
an important task to evaluate their serviceability and safety levels. Towards this aim, data …