Engineering and Patrimonial Buildings: Rewarding Interdisciplinary Work

The Our Lady Cathedral of Tournai in Belgium has been recognized in 2000 by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. However, today several parts of the Cathedral exhibit signs of weaknesses and interventions are needed. This article deals with the interdisciplinary approach followed for the study of the frameworks of the Cathedral. According to the historical study, the roof has exhibited different roofing materials throughout the ages. To make the contemporary architectural choices for the restoration, preliminary studies were initiated. Indeed, for the 800-year old frameworks of the transept, specific attention is needed to ensure that the substitution of the slate roofing by thick lead slates will not cause additional damages or pathologies. Through the study led by historians, archaeologists and engineers, this article gives a global overview of the preliminary studies performed by specialists in what could be considered as a good example of a rewarding interdisciplinary work. A special focus is made here on the work provided by engineers to understand all the specific problems of such a building and to propose respectful, efficient, and consistent solutions. The structural study of the Cathedral frameworks is mainly developed here coupled with on-site investigations and information led by historians and archaeologists to enlighten the structural behavior of the building.