HBIM for storing life-cycle data regarding decay and damage in existing timber structures

Abstract The conservation and maintenance of the historical heritage is an issue of great importance, especially when dealing with elements that can easily suffer damage along the time, either to intrinsic materials properties or by exposure conditions, like often happen for timber structures. For the management and maintenance of historic timber structures, HBIM (Historic Building Information Modeling) is here presented as a fundamental tool. This work presents the application of a methodology that uses common HBIM software in combination with results obtained from non-destructive testing and geometric surveying, allowing it to perform modeling, analysis and storage of geometric data, levels of decay and lack of material of timber structures within a tridimensional space. Moreover, the proposed framework incorporates different time stages, thus allowing to make periodic comparisons along time, that substantiate a decision making process to take decisions about maintenance and intervention actions. In this work two case studies are used to validate this methodology and present its possible use. The case studies are: (i) the timber structure of the roof of the key tower of the Castle of Guimaraes, and (ii) the timber structure of the ceiling and roof of the room of the Knight's Room in the Convent of Christ, Tomar, both Portuguese buildings listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.