Structural and material characterization of a Haussmann building

Abstract

Haussmann buildings are representative of Paris urban architecture. However, those buildings being centenarians, present several pathologies which is preventing their adequate use. Moreover, an upgrade regarding users security, acoustic, thermal and fire requirements is, among others, urgently needed to meet the new standards. Additionally, there is actually, in Paris, an increasing demand for hotel rooms. For those previous reasons, Haussmann buildings are nowadays submitted to heavy operations relative to use changes, conservation, rehabilitation and strengthening. In this paper, a structural and material characterization of a Haussmann building complex located at La Madeleine in Paris is presented. This characterization is the result of a survey realized during the construction stage occurred between 2015 and 2017, relative to use change, rehabilitation and strengthening. The present study allows identifying the existing structural system, the materials and the geometry of the principal structural elements. The knowledge from this study would be very useful for the development of sustainable rehabilitation and strengthening techniques and at the same time helping to preserve this important heritage or similar ones existing in other countries.

Keywords

• Haussmann buildings
• rehabilitation
• structural characterization
• sustainable construction