Interventions on Roof Structures as Part of Conservation of Historic Buildings with Local Value

Romania hosts a large number of historic buildings. Some of them are listed as historic buildings of various value, value group A for national value, value group B for local value, and some of them are even included on the World Heritage List. The historic building protection has lacked continuity and was only resumed after the 1989 Revolution. Therefore, many historic buildings are severely decayed, have been subject to unauthorized interventions, and even to interventions conducted by non-specialists. While the historic buildings on the UNESCO List or of national value are approached with big care, benefit of funds for all planning stages, the historic buildings of local value or non-listed are in real danger. The hidden parts such as roof structures are even less considered when their value is minor. This paper analyses the interventions on a historic roof structure dendrochronologically dated back to the 1720s belonging to the church of the Bulgarian Franciscan Monastery. While applying the research principles for valuable historic roof structures, we also perform a theoretical analysis of several solutions for repairs and consolidation considering safeguarding the values, as well as of intervention implementation and efficiency based on analyses, tests, and structural modelling. This example may show how complex the reasoning when choosing a solution for repairs or intervention on 18th century timber roof structures.