Development of Workflows for Preservation Engineering: A Case Study of the Morris Island Lighthouse

Abstract

Heritage structures serve as an invaluable record of cultural achievement that should be preserved for future generations. To ensure successful preservation of these structures, there must be an affordable and effective way to conduct conservation. The objective of this work is to develop a successful workflow for the structural analysis of preservation projects and to validate the workflow on the Morris Island Lighthouse in Charleston, South Carolina. Thorough documentation of the cultural significance and structural condition of the lighthouse was completed through archival research, photogrammetry, and crack mapping. Structural Health Monitoring and Distinct Element Modeling were used to analyze the structure’s present condition. Recommendations were made for intervention steps to prioritize the lighthouse’s structural health and to effectively allocate resources. The results of the case study were synthesized in Virtual Tour and Informational Modeling environments that were presented to the lighthouse’s preservation board to enable efficient communication between interested parties. The benefits and shortcomings of this process are discussed, and a standardized workflow for efficient structural analysis of cultural heritage is proposed.