OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE AND CURTILAGE HERITAGE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2008–2013

9. Building Fabric Investigation Permitted Action Schedule
Part C – Implementation Tools
Old Parliament House and Curtilage Heritage Management Plan 2008–2013
141
3 DEFINITIONS
Non-destructive investigative techniques are defined as:
■■methods of examining built fabrics that do not require openings or damage.
Destructive investigation techniques are defined as:
■■methods of examining built fabrics that involve piercing or otherwise damaging the existing surface in order
to reveal and probe the subsurface.
4 INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
Methods for undertaking investigations of heritage built fabric can be either destructive or non-destructive.
Preliminary investigations should not intervene in the fabric (article 24 of the ICOMOS Burra Charter). Such
disturbance can destroy important evidence, before significance has been assessed. Exceptions to this rule
are: where the fabric is being lost through deterioration, as part of emergency conservation works, or prior
to an approved demolition. Such investigations should always be supervised by heritage professionals.
Non-destructive techniques
Destructive techniques
5.1 Visual inspection 6.1 Endoscopy
5.2 Surface mapping 6.2 Micro-drilling
5.3 Thermography 6.3 Laboratory analysis
5.4 Impulse radar 6.3.1 Heritage paint analysis
5.5 Ultrasonics 6.3.2 Mortar and plaster analysis
5.6 Moisture measurement 6.3.3 Dendrochronology
All investigative Actions should begin with the simplest, non-destructive processes and proceed as necessary.
Building Fabric Investigation must be carried out in the following order:
1. Visual investigation and mapping;
2. Other forms of non-destructive sub-surface testing (if insufficient
information has been gathered from visual inspections); and
3. Various degrees of sub-surface destructive testing (only if insufficient information has
been gathered from other forms of non-destructive sub-surface testing).