Course detail

Failures and Reconstruction

FAST-BHB013Acad. year: 2025/2026

The course deals mainly about the assessment of the present state of the buildings, the construction- technical and historic research, identification of failures by the external symptoms and basic methods for their removal. The subject deals with the creation of the drawing documentation of reconstructed buildings. Students will learn about t building construction systems and principles at of standards and design regulations.

Language of instruction

Czech, English

Number of ECTS credits

4

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

prof. Ing. Miloslav Novotný, CSc.

Department

Institute of Building Structures (PST)

Offered to foreign students

Of all faculties

Entry knowledge

Partition, drawing and designing of building constructions, concrete and masonry constructions, metal and wooden constructions, building equipment, building technology and control.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Extent and forms are specified by guarantor’s regulation updated for every academic year.

Aims

Theoretical and practical experience with geodesic surveying of an existing state of an object, performing of brief technical investigations, identification of defects and failures of building constructions according to extrinsic characteristics, projecting of redevelopment of principal defects and failures.
Student must handle the aim of the course, which is the acquisition of theoretical and practical experience with geodesic surveying of an existing state of an object, performing of brief technical investigations, identification of defects and failures of building constructions according to extrinsic characteristics, projecting of redevelopment of principal defects and failures.

Study aids

All study materials in English (including lectures in .pdf format) are available for download in the current learning course on the LMS Moodle. The study guide “BH 55 – Building Failures and Reconstruction” is available in Czech only.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Chudly, R, Greeno, R: Buiding Constrution Handbook 13th edition, Taylor and Francis Ltd. 2023, 1987 (EN)
Marshall, D., Worthing, D., heath, R., Dann, N., Understanding Housing Defects, 2013 (EN)
Allan T Adams - Drawing for Understanding, Creating Interpretive Drawings of Historic Buildings, Historic England, 2016 (EN)
Vlček a kol.: Poruchy a rekonstrukce staveb, ERA, 2002 (CS)
Vlček a kol.: Poruchy a rekonstrukce v pozemních stavbách II, CERM, 1996 (CS)
Vlček a kol.: Projektování rekonstrukcí, CERM, 1996 (CS)
Vlček, M., Beneš, P. - Studijní opora pro předmět BH 55 - Poruchy a rekonstrukce staveb, 2006. (CS)

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme BPA-SI Bachelor's 4 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

  • Programme BPC-SI Bachelor's

    specialization S , 4 year of study, summer semester, compulsory-optional

  • Programme BKC-SI Bachelor's 4 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

  • Programme CZV1-AKR Lifelong learning

    specialization PBC , 1 year of study, summer semester, compulsory-optional

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. Ing. Miloslav Novotný, CSc.
Ing. Dáša Sukopová, Ph.D.
Ing. Lubor Kalousek, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  1. Introduction to the subject; Terminology, Durability and building life-cycle; Site sketching and hand measuring
  2. Surveying of existing state in buildings; Building surveys; Condition assessment report; Historical building surveys
  3. Cracks in buildings (Part 1); Measurement and monitoring of cracks; Causes of cracks, Shapes and size of cracks
  4. Cracks in buildings (Part 2); Repair of cracks in concrete; Repair of cracks in masonry structures
  5. Strengthening of building structures; Traditional techniques of strengthening and their applications: Strengthening of R.C. structures
  6. Removing of masonry walls; Forming new openings in masonry walls
  7. Repairing and strengthening of masonry structures; Masonry vaults and arches
  8. Underpinning and strengthening of building foundations; Advanced strengthening materials (FRP, TRC)
  9. Strengthening of load-bearing timber structures; Timber floor structures
  10. Defects in pitched roofs; Biodegradation of structures; Repair of pitched roof structures
  11. Summary and final exam.

Exercise

26 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Jana Krupicová, Ph.D.
Ing. et Ing. Petr Kacálek, Ph.D.
Ing. Lubor Kalousek, Ph.D.
Ing. Jindřich Sobotka, Ph.D.
Ing. Marie Odehnalová

Syllabus

  • Practical Assignment 1: Preparation of the building survey and field sketches of the selected building (i.e. floor plan, longitudinal section, cross section, elevations).
  • Practical Assignment 2: As-built drawings: creating of CAD drawings from the field sketches (M 1:50).
  • Practical Assignment 3:Seminary work on a given topic from the subject of Failures and Reconstructions, for example:
  • possibilities of renovation/adaptation of the chosen building (structural strengthening, change of use, etc.);
  • improvement of the energy efficiency of the chosen building;
  • solving of the building's accessibility (wheelchair users, strollers, fire escape);
  • possibilities of mothballing of the chosen historical building (including time schedule of maintenance works)
  • Practical Assignment 4: Renovation drawing with individual specifications of building alterations: new openings, new equipment, minor changes in layout, etc: Floor plan (M 1:50) and cross/longitudinal section (M 1:50) including all assigned changes
  • Practical Assignment 5: New opening in existing wall: Creating schemes of individual steps of new opening creation from previous assignment:
  • preparation and auxiliary supports for new lintel;
  • creating opening for new lintel;
  • installation of new lintel;
  • creating new opening for door;
  • door installation (incl. repairs of plaster and/or other finishes).