Old Brickwork Chimneys: Structural Features AndRestoration Problems

The traditional masonry chimneys forming part of the first industrial installations in Italy, as of the second half of the nineteenth century, are replaced nowadays with constructions of engineering design and dimensions that benefit from tried and tested construction methods and satisfy specific standard requirements. A considerable number of older structures remain, however mainly brickwork chimneys, some of which are surprisingly high (up to 70 m) and of remarkable architectural design in certain areas of northern Italy that were among the first to be involved in industrial activities of various kinds. As part of several schemes to restore and qualify some of these industrial complexes, this study proposes to analyse the type and structure of chimneys built between the 1870s and the first decades of this century, mainly in the Piedmont and Veneto regions, with a view to outlining potential codes of practice for their restoration. Starting from an examination of their technological and structural features, and restoration problems, the analysis aims to prompt proposals for action capable of complying with a restorative spirit while also ensuring that the buildings are made safe and stable.