The Restoration Proposal for the 4-storey Load Bearing Timber Structure of Matsopoulos Wheat Mill in Trikala (Greece)

Abstract

The paper focuses on the restoration proposal for the 4-storey timber structure of the central building that belongs to Matsopoulos Wheat Mill complex, built in 1884. The study was conducted in the frame of a research program of the School of Architecture of the National Technical University of Athens and the Municipality of Trikala, for the restoration of the industrial complex and the creation of a museum that will host again the original function of this 'machine building', since the timber load bearing structure is an integral part of the main production equipment of the Mill. An excessive survey and assessment of the structure and the original machinery was conducted. The 3D structural model was a valuable tool for both the assessment procedure and the interventions for a huge and complicated timber structure. A new multi-task steel structure was designed, forming corridors for the control of the visitors, and the suspension of information equipment. This structure, reduced also the loads more than 50% and consequently the relevant reinforcements. In parallel, steel elements were placed next to the timber ones in specific places in order to carry the additional loads when needed. The main principles of the restoration proposal were: local, distinguishable and reversible interventions, with minimum impact on the original timber fabric, since this fabric along with the machinery were the main exhibits of the museum. The reinforcing interventions in this case served quite successfully both, museological, museographical, architectural, structural and mechanical requirements.Keywords: Timber wheat mill • Timber industrial building • Structural analysis as assessment tool • Steel reinforcements of timber structures • Industrial museum

Automatic completion of geometric models from point clouds for analyzing historic timber roof structures

“…Structural models of historic timber structures provide basic information for geometric evaluations in structural health assessments. For example, Tsakanika (2007) investigated the failure to identify the structural roles of the original "post and beam system" in sample Byzantine and post-Byzantine historic timber roofs. In the study by Gocál et al (2015), a parametric work employing a numerical model was used to analyze roof structure behaviors with and without particular truss members and to evaluate the differences in the displacements and stress values of the main, secondary, and longitudinal trusses of the roof structure of the Roman Catholic Church of the Holiest Christ.…”