SAIC HPres Hosts Symposium on Non-Destructive Evaluation

The SAIC Historic Preservation Department, along with our partners, the Association for Preservation Technology Western Great Lakes Chapter (APT WGLC), the Glessner House Museum, and the American Institute of Architects Historic Resources Committee (AIA HRC) sponsored a workshop on non-destructive evaluation of historic buildings on April 6-7, 2017. The guest speaker was Alan White of GB Geotechnics USA with assistance from Aldo De La Haza from the Dynasty Group. 

The two-day workshop was entitled “Look But Don’t Touch: Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) of Historic Buildings – Fundamentals and Real World Applications” and focused on the practical use of technology when investigating building construction and pathology. Several topics were discussed and demonstrated, including Ground Penetrating Radar, Infrared Thermal Imaging, Ultrasonic and Magnetic Testing, Laser Scanning, Photo Documentation, and Backscatter X-ray Imaging. Faculty member Charlie Pipal noted, “It’s important to expose our students to current technology, as they will be the problem solvers who will need these tools in the future. It’s also a benefit to have practicing professionals on board, as we can learn from their experiences.”

The symposium was well attended by over 50 participants. Attendees from across the Midwest included our students, alumni, and faculty, including preservation architects, engineers, and other professionals. The lecture session was held in our departmental space in 116 South Michigan. The technical demonstration session on April 7 was held at Glessner House, thanks to Glessner House's Executive Director and SAIC graduate Bill Tyre (MS HPres 1999).