Examples of Even Lifting of Structural Elements of Existing Buildings

Abstract

Two examples of even, vertical lifting of building elements are presented. In the first example, after the raw state of the building was completed, the concept of land development around the building has changed. It involved in particular elevating the ground level by 0.8 m. As a consequence, the entrance to the building would be below the surrounding land. It was decided to lift the above-ground part of the building evenly by 0.80 m in order to avoid this. The lifting of the above-ground part of the building was designed and executed by detaching the building apart at the level of the floor and then lifting it evenly by 0.8 m. For this purpose, eighteen hydraulic jacks were used, installed in the bearing walls in the previously made openings. New technical cellars were additionally constructed as a result of the works. In the second case, the roof truss was raised in the residential building in use. The usable area of the attic was enlarged as a result of the works and the number of posts limiting the freedom of interior design was reduced. In both cases, a system of hydraulic jacks was used to move the structure vertically. With the presented procedure, no damage was caused to both, the building elements that were lifted and those unmoved. In addition, the even lifting of parts of the building allowed to avoid the troublesome dismantling and then restoration in a new location.