In the period of high modernism from the turn of the 20th century to the 1970s, a large number of new buildings were created, characterized by various material developments. In the field of concrete technology, this period saw the development of stamped concrete, the use of reinforcing steel and the prefabricated construction method, all of which opened up a wide range of new possibilities for the material. The development of construction with reinforced concrete and later with prestressed concrete opened up forward-looking structural and design possibilities for civil engineering and architecture. Many of the structures built during this period still characterize our cityscapes today and are classified as important historical testimonies due to their significance in the history of construction technology or architectural and design features and have achieved the status of architectural monuments.

However, many, propagated at the time as everlasting constructions, have developed manifold defects and damages over the decades. As part of a decisive era in our development history, they are an important instance, especially in the field of monument preservation, and should be preserved for the future. It is crucial to intervene as little as possible in their original building fabric when repairs are necessary and to use repair materials that are visually and technically adapted to the existing structure. Engineering science should take this as a starting point and adapt its repair concepts to the specific object on the basis of the existing structure and substance, using guiding principles for the preservation of historical monuments. Only in this way can a holistic approach to the preservation of this cultural heritage be developed across disciplines.

In the research project applied for here, detailed surveys of the existing structure and condition will be carried out on selected buildings that fall within the scope of monument preservation in order to be able to develop suitable repair materials that are compatible with the structure. As far as possible, an investigation of the historic building fabric that is gentle on the substance should be applied in order to avoid major damage to the monument. The aim is to develop suitable dense repair concretes based on UHPC on the basis of the requirements profile drawn up, which will be reinforced with textile reinforcement for structural strengthening. At the same time, the selected structures will be subjected to detailed monitoring, which includes regular and systematic observation and evaluation of the state of preservation.

Cooperation with:

- Department of Construction Materials and Construction Chemistry, University of Kassel (UKS)

- Chair of Materials in Civil Engineering, TU Dortmund University (TUDO)

- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, RheinMain University of Applied Sciences (HSRM)

- Institute for Stone Conservation e.V., Mainz (IFS)