Structural Analysis of Historic Buildings
by Ed Buch, CSI, CCS, AIA

Structural Analysis of Historic Buildings, Restoration, Preservation, and Adaptive Reuse Applications for Architects and Engineers, by J. Stanley Rabun, PE, PhD, NCARB, (John Wiley & Sons, 2000, 495 pages including many structural tables, diagrams, and period illustrations), is a comprehensive presentation of the structural design of buildings in the period covering the 19th and the early 20th centuries. This was an important period in the history of structural engineering. During this time, structural design evolved from a practice based on empirical methods employed by master builders using “rules of thumb” to the modern analytical design practiced by structural engineers today.

Along with the historical aspects of structural engineering, the author presents a detailed look at two other topics of interest to architects. Technical data on the materials and methods of construction in use at the time are offered in great detail, much of it presented graphically. In addition, the first chapter of the book provides information on the early development of the structural aspects of buildings codes. This is an excellent companion to the book, The Fireproof Building, by Sara E. Wermiel, (a book I described in a previous article), albeit one with much more practical detail useful for architects and engineers.

The book is comprehensive in scope. The design of foundations, load bearing walls and columns, beams, and the lateral bracing of buildings are all described. Investigation techniques for use on historic materials are included. The evolution of load tables and structural design formulas are presented in detail. Much of the data on the structural properties of the materials in use at the time, cast and wrought iron for example, is taken from the information originally published by the manufacturers. This type of information is now hard to find, at best, and much of it simply out of the reach of most practitioners.

Although Structural Analysis of Historic Buildings probably isn’t suitable for many of us to read cover to cover, it is an excellent resource for anyone curious about the period or involved in restoration and adaptive reuse of historic buildings.

Another book that will be important to those who are interested in structural engineering has recently been released in a new edition. Structures, or Why Things Don’t Fall Down, by J. E. Gordon, (Da Capo Press, 1978 & 2003, 390 pages), is the rather silly title to an otherwise fascinating book on a subject many of us would just as soon ignore. I guess the title is the publisher’s attempt to make engineering less intimidating to the non-technical audience. Anyway, Professor Gordon provides easy to understand explanations of many fundamental engineering concepts from the viewpoint of a materials scientist. You can understand and enjoy this book with a high school mathematics background.

Beginning with the concepts of stress and strain, progressing through a presentation on the modulus of elasticity, then on to explain tension and compression, beam theory, and arches, he covers the major elements of the strength of structures in a way that even non-technical people should be able to understand. The book uses plenty of diagrams and photos of real life examples to illustrate engineering concepts that are usually treated in textbooks with formulas alone.

This is a great book on a subject many of us left behind in college. It will also serve as a useful introduction to the subject of strength of materials and structural engineering for non-technical readers. In either case, it is a book that can be read cover to cover.

Ed Buch is an architect in the Los Angeles office of Leo A Daly. A Nebraska native, he has worked in Los Angeles since 1988. Prior to that, he worked in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, and 5 years in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He has been member since 1981, and is currently an Institute director from the West Region, CSI.