Detection of reinforcement in the non-traditional building structures - historical statues

During restoration and maintenance of historical buildings, statues and sculptures are often neglected elements in the pre-construction condition surveys, especially in case they are not part of the supporting structure but only an ornamental and aesthetic complement of the architectural whole. The condition of a number of such artworks requires restoration or static assessment from the viewpoint of safety and durability. In the case of statues made of stone, artificial stone or concrete, an inseparable part of the pre-construction condition survey is determining the method of their reinforcement with steel elements, which is, considering the often complex spatial aspects of their surface, relatively complicated. The paper offers some possibilities of its solution on three examples. The diagnostic methods were proposed based on the authors' workplace's long-term experience with the diagnostics of reinforced concrete structures. During the past 10 years, about 1,000 such diagnostics have been performed. These experiences were subsequently experimentally applied to several historical sculptures with great success.