INGENIEUR
guidelines that can be applied to Malaysia are listed here , selected from the literature review of Riggio et al . ( 2017 ).
The ISO 13822 “ Bases for design of structures — Assessment of existing structures ” was issued in 2010 to serve as a basis for the development of national standards . It details the requirements for structural safety and cost-saving that can be applied to heritage buildings , although it does not provide conservation criteria . The condition assessment procedure is shown in Figure 7 . ISO 13822 provides several analysis levels for heritage buildings and when deemed necessary , the standard recommends a detailed assessment including structural analysis to ensure a target reliability level that is on par with what is provided in ISO 2394 : 2015 , which is another standard that details the required level of structural performance .
While ISO 13822 is meant to apply to any existing buildings , the International Scientific Committee for the Analysis and Restoration of Structures of Architectural Heritage ( ISCARSAH ) guideline is specifically made for heritage buildings . The ISCARSAH was formed by the International Council on Monuments and Sites ( ICOMOS ) in 1996 as a forum and network for engineers involved in the restoration and care of heritage buildings . The guidance from ICOMOS was cited by Harun ( 2011 ) as a factor in strengthening the procedure of heritage building conservation in Malaysia . However , the ISCARSAH guideline is less detailed , at least when compared to ISO 13822 .
In terms of vulnerability assessment , the analysis tool HAZUS-MH developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency ( FEMA ) offers the most comprehensive analysis framework , and can analyse hazards from earthquakes , floods and hurricanes . The tool is also applicable to a wide range of structural typologies . A relatively recent study by D ’ Ayala et al . ( 2016 ) has shown the applicability of HAZUS-MH to the timber roofs of heritage masonry churches in the Philippines built during Spanish colonial times . This shows that the tool can be made applicable to heritage buildings in a tropical climate similar to Malaysia .
Concluding Remarks
It is often taken for granted by most Malaysians that this country has several high-profile UNESCO World Heritage sites , not to mention countless other heritage sites that are hundreds of years old . The history of the country can be seen on these heritage sites , some with their origin in traditional Malay timber architecture and others displaying masonry architectural influences from Portuguese , Dutch and British colonial times . The heritage sites are not only beneficial for cultural purposes , they have a large potential for cultural heritage tourism . Hence it is hoped that this article will help by being a starting point in a trans-disciplinary effort towards further improvement of heritage building conservation in Malaysia .
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