Use of ultrasound as a nondestructive evaluation technique for sustainable interventions on wooden structures

Interventions in emergency and development works normally avoid using diagnostic techniques to determine the extent of damage to wooden structures, opting instead for the large-scale replacement of elements that could otherwise be repaired or reused. In the case detailed in this paper, the application of ultrasound non-destructive technique to assess the conservation status of the wooden frame of a building of great historical value is described. This building is known as “El Corral del Conde” and is located in the city of Seville (Spain). The aim is to limit the scope of the intervention with an approach based on the principle of sustainable intervention, which minimizes the replacement of materials that could be recovered and thus reducing CO2 emissions. The results show that using nondestructive techniques is possible to reduce the total volume of the intervention minimizing the energy consumption and CO2 emissions by 85 percent. •Ultrasound technique is applied to assess the conservation state of a historic building.•An intervention plan with sustainability criteria is proposed.•This intervention minimizes the replacement of materials that could be recovered.•It is reduced the energy and CO2 emissions by 85 percent with a sustainable intervention.