Damage assessment and conservation strategy for the largest covered market in Europe: the Ribera Market (Bilbao)

Facing a scarcity of land for urban development and demand for public services, the Municipal Council of Bilbao recognizes the need to make good use of its built heritage and to upgrade it, while maintaining its cultural and functional features. A good example is the case of the Ribera Market, the largest covered market in Europe. Deterioration of the market building and public pressure for improved services has led to proposals for its rehabilitation. To do so, the constructive condition of the building must first of all be assessed and, then, the most appropriate and compatible intervention technique must be selected. Today, there is a broad selection of intervention technologies, for the improvement of both mechanical behaviour and durability. However, in this article, it is demonstrated that these technologies are not always applicable in old buildings, because they depend on the severity of the pathology and the intrinsic characteristics of the building: for example, corrosion due to chloride ions originating from the concrete mass. The lack of knowledge on constructive techniques and the requirements for the application of new technologies complicate the interventions, which in turn further complicates decision-making with regard to the property.