Condition Assessment and Strengthening of Aged Structures: Perspectives Based on a Critical Case Study

This article presents a concise overview on condition monitoring and retrofitting/strengthening of structures, including a practical case study of strengthening for an existing historical building. Condition assessment of an existing structure is required mainly to check serviceability and safety requirements of the structure after short-term events, such as earthquakes or long-term degradation of the structure with time. It is carried out to assess the ability of a structure to perform its intended operations under changed loading conditions with time or modification in its structural system as per newly imposed requirements. The condition assessment and strengthening may also be required for the integrated extension of an existing structure. After assessing the condition of the structure, either it is retrofitted (or strengthened) or it is demolished according to the severity of the damage. In this article, such a critical condition assessment for an existing historical masonry building is presented, and appropriate strengthening schemes are suggested by following two separate measures (concrete jacketing and fiber-reinforced polymer strengthening). Subsequently, the relative advantages and disadvantages of the strengthening measures are discussed from a practical engineering perspective. The aim of this article is not to propose any new method for condition assessment and strengthening of structures; rather, we take a systematic approach to demonstrate our experience. Critical case studies on condition assessment and strengthening of historical buildings with adequate technical insights are very scarce in scientific literature. This article would serve as a valuable reference for practicing engineers and the concerned scientific community.