Restoring Wooden Structural Elements and Transparent Structures: Protection and Rehabilitation of Bosnian-Herzegovinian Medieval Fortifications☆
Abstract A great number of medieval fortifications in Bosnia-Herzegovina is in a state of deterioration, lacking ceiling and roof structures, usually made of wood. Their components usually make part of other structures in open areas covered with weed and stand as useless rubble or are neglected due to there being legal restrictions on owners of the land to participate in their reconstruction. Numerous fortifications have disappeared, while some still hold remnants of the times past in their stone and mortar. The detritus blocks the access to the structures whose importance is thus also neglected. One of the first tension resistant materials used in construction was wood. Wood is an extremely anisotropic material. The tensile strength of wood fibres is suitable for dimensioning. From an economic point of view, it is disputable whether the ruined wooden structures should be reinforced. Since wood is rather light and easy to incorporate and manipulate with, it seems that the most convenient procedure would be the replacement of the structures as they are relatively easy to unload. The most common in building construction is the need for repair or strengthening of the existing roof structure elements.