Design of new timber structures in the presbytery of "San Giacomo Church" in Bevilacqua

This master thesis focuses on the design of innovative timber structures for the restoration of the clergy in the "San Giacomo Church" located in Bevilacqua. The deteriorated state of the existing timber structure required exploring various solutions to ensure the structural integrity and longevity of the presbytery. The outcomes of this research contribute to the preservation and enhancement of the presbytery of the "San Giacomo Church", providing valuable insights and recommendations for similar timber structure restorations. This thesis considers only timber restoration techniques in order to respect the authenticity and aesthetics of the building. Given that this restoration concerns only the timber part of the building and not the masonry, it is necessary to devise solutions that do not significantly alter the existing load transfer, at the risk of causing excessive stresses in masonry parts that cannot support them, or of creating excessive localized settlement of the foundations. In this thesis, the emphasis is on the analytical approach to structural design, but computer tools are used where necessary. The use of analytical methods is due to a desire to have a good understanding of the structure’s behaviour. This makes it all the more important to determine the influence of certain parameters, especially when the aim is to minimize the cost of the structure. Although this thesis takes a theoretical approach, the parameters or solutions envisaged are considered only if they are feasible in practice. The design is carried out safely in accordance with EUROCODE instructions. With the same safety in mind, certain choices are made to obtain the best response in the event of a fire or earthquake.