Conduct Engineering Assessment and Develop Options for Treatment of the Mission Church, Tumacacori National Historick Park
Project ID: P19AC00338
Federal Agency: National Park Service
Partner Institution: University of Vermont and State Agriculture College
Fiscal Year: 2019
Initial Funding: $144,237
Total Funding: $144,237
Project Type: Technical Assistance
Project Disciplines: Interdisciplinary
Principal Investigator: Porter, Doug
Agreement Technical Representative: Meyer, Lauren
Abstract: The assessment and evaluation will involve at least one undergraduate student enrolled in UVM’s School of Engineering to assist in all aspects of the work. In addition, the park will solicit local students to participate in select portions of the fieldwork. These students will receive firsthand experience in conducting condition assessments and structural evaluations under the direction of qualified professionals. Through the planned training workshop, student and midcareer participants will learn firsthand about methods of testing and analysis, and the development of preservation strategies. As the result of onsite demonstrations of instruments used in the nondestructive evaluation and testing of structural materials, workshop participants will receive direct experience in the use of these instruments to collect data useful in the structural assessment of earthen structures. At present, engineering curricula do not typically include training in the assessment, analysis, and repair design for buildings of this type, so that exposure to case studies through conferences and symposia is currently the only means of professional development available.
B. Project Objectives
Investigators from UVM and NPS staff will collaborate to accomplish the following specific objectives (see also Attachment A).
1. Assess existing rain drainage system (roof to ground components). Determine system capacity to remove winter storm water (historically, the heaviest rains fall in winter when conditions are least favorable for rapid transpiration) from roof surfaces, and capacity of subsurface drain system to move water away from the church site. Outline options for necessary improvements.
2. Conduct a structural condition assessment, using nondestructive evaluation and testing and laboratory characterization of structural materials where necessary to inform the analyses.
3. Review existing geotechnical reports focused on the site, particularly with respect to soil classifications and seismic vulnerabilities.
4. Construct three-dimensional computer models (FEA) for both static and dynamic (earthquake) analyses (LiDAR scanning of the church interior and exterior have been completed by NPS staff and will be provided to the project team).
5. Present results from numeric analyses (FEA) for static and dynamic loading cases both graphically and in tabular form.
6. Develop a global understanding of the stability of the church under both static (self-weight) and dynamic (earthquake) loading (based on regional seismic risk and appropriate time-history earthquake loading).
7. Identify and prioritize the stabilization and repair needs of the church, including strengthening to address seismic vulnerabilities; present preservation options to the park.
8. Convey assessment findings, materials characterization and test data, modeling results, analyses, and repair options to the park in a written assessment report.
9. If additional funding is made available, the park can elect to do additional materials testing and characterization (Option 1), and / or additional geotechnical characterization of the church site (Option 2).
10. If stabilization is determined to be necessary and funding is available, develop conceptual-level repair design schematics that convey enough information for estimating costs and evaluating impacts of the proposed repairs on resource integrity and significance (Option 3).
11. Based on the preservation priorities of the park, prepare Class C estimates of costs (Option 4).
12. Prepare design drawings and specifications based on conceptual-level schematics and the preservation priorities of the park; include constructability analyses for all proposed strengthening interventions addressing: a) site access, b) building access for both interior and exterior strengthening interventions, and c) materials storage (Option 5).
13. Co-host (with NPS) a training workshop directed at midcareer preservationists, using the church as a case study; proceedings should cover the research, assessment findings, materials testing, and modeling and analyses completed for design of church repairs.