Heritage structures serve as invaluable records of cultural achievement that should be preserved for future generations. To ensure the successful preservation of these structures, there must be an affordable and effective way to conduct conservation. The objective of this work is to outline an efficient workflow for the structural analysis of preservation projects through a case study on the Morris Island Lighthouse in Charleston, South Carolina. Thorough documentation of the cultural significance and structural condition of the lighthouse was completed through archival research, photogrammetry and crack mapping. Structural Health Monitoring and Distinct Element Modelling were used to analyse past structural damage and the present condition. The behaviour of masonry and crack propagation was evaluated under gravity, wind, wave and seismic loading. The results of these analyses were summarized in a virtual tour and informational modelling environment, which allows the results to be accessed and associated with their physical location on the structure. The benefits and limitations of this process are discussed, and a standardized workflow for efficient structural analysis of cultural heritage is proposed. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Environmental loading of heritage structures’.

Preservation of cultural heritage sites is of paramount importance. The ruins of Carmo Convent in Lisbon stand as a poignant reminder of the city’s rich history, but challenges regarding structural integrity and safety are present in a highly populated and touristic area. In this paper, a comprehensive study of the Carmo Convent is presented, focused on non-destructive testing (NDT), structural health monitoring (SHM) and numerical modelling. Given its state of ruin and historical relevance, the study relied heavily on NDT. Additionally, a metro line passing underneath the convent raised concerns regarding potential hazards from induced vibrations. Thus, metro vibration monitoring (MVM) was implemented to assess the impact of induced vibrations on the structure. One of the challenges was the scarcity of standards specific to historic structures. However, through a combination of finite element method (FEM) and discrete element method (DEM) numerical modelling, valuable insights into the current condition of the structure were obtained. MVM revealed that the maximum velocity induced by metro activities remained within safe limits, indicating minimal impact. These results not only provide crucial information on structural preservation but also empower stakeholders to make informed decisions regarding the implementation of protective measures.

The symptoms of overdue maintenance and underinvestment in historic infrastructure are ever-present in our society (rated with D+ by American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE). To ensure the safety of historic and existing structures, on-site inspections are required, and structural health monitoring systems are frequently adopted. While these methods capture large amounts of information about a structure, there is not a comprehensive method for integrating these diverse datasets into a single, intuitive environment for both on- and off-site usage. The objective of this work is to explore two different methodologies for integrating datasets derived from the built environment. The first method, Virtual tours and informational modeling (VTIM), uses spherical panoramas to capture the interior and exterior of the built environment as well as enables a user to access data through on-click conditionals attached to the panoramas. The second method, Image-based documentation and augmented reality (IBDAR), uses a sparse point cloud to capture the built environment for on-site viewing and additionally stores an image at every annotation location to facilitate off-site viewing. Both methods are applied to case studies including a masonry lighthouse in Charleston, SC and a pedestrian bridge in Princeton, NJ. The advantages and disadvantages of each approach are discussed as well as steps for future work are briefly outlined.