Non-destructive testing to reveal the history of a 17th century building

This paper describes the experience of a building contractor, who used nondestructive testing (NDT) to assess a 17th century residential building, and who, as a consequence, drew up a conservation and strengthening plan. The preliminary phase of the study involved an in-depth analysis of the historical and architectural context. This was based on the limited documentation available, such as historical maps and land registry records. Where the sources proved incomplete, a careful, close examination of the building was used to supplement them. Subsequently, a series of non-destructive tests (NDT) was carried out on both the vertical masonry structures and the horizontal timber structures, which led to the decision to preserve all the original structures. The interrelated results of the non-destructive investigations made it possible to reconstruct the major historical transformations that had taken place over the centuries – and there were many of them. Consequently, the building, with its frescoed rooms, was placed under a conservation order by the Ministry of Culture. Once again, non-destructive investigations proved to be an essential part of preserving historic buildings.