A flash of inspiration struck at SAHC while I was listening to one of the keynote lecturers1, leading to me writing this while still in the audience:
I’ll argue that this flowchart is really all you need to understand structural preservation, as long as you recognize that the boxes each require some explanation.
First, “Is it collapsing?” is not really a yes or no question. There are many sub-questions: is it damaged, is it badly damaged, how are we determining the state of damage, does the damage lead to unsafe conditions, and so on. Asking and answering the big question can be a long and involved process, or can be addressed in an hour, depending on circumstances.
Second, “Fix it” covers a broad spectrum of activities, even if we assume (per the arrow in the flowchart) that it is in response to dangerous conditions. It could, unfortunately, mean demolition; it could mean full restoration; it could mean anything on the spectrum between. The most common response is a partial fix, to correct the most serious problems and otherwise kick the can down the road ten or twenty or fifty years.
Third, and least obviously, “Wait a while” does not mean literally do nothing while the building ages and starts falling apart. It includes performing preventive maintenance that, in a perfect world, would have the flowchart stall on that right-hand box indefinitely. It includes repair of damage at the less-than-collapsing stage. It includes regular inspections meant to allow for lesser repairs.
Despite the difference between my simplistic sketch of a flowchart and the more difficult reality, I stand by the chart. All of the complexities of our work are a simple cycle of observation, determination of problems, and repair.
- Who shall rename nameless, as today’s meandering is not their fault. ↩︎
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