CANVAS Offenburg – Reuse of Timber Trusses

In Offenburg, the former slaughterhouse grounds are being turned into a new urban quarter for the cultural and creative industries. As part of this, 19 timber trusses from a production hall built around 1955 were salvaged during demolition so they could be reused. Each truss spans 20 m. LMNTAL was commissioned to assess their condition and to work out how their remaining load-bearing capacity can be verified.

LMNTAL documented the construction of the trusses in detail: the two-part chords, the half-lapped posts and diagonals, the nailed joints, and the steel tie rod at midspan. LMNTAL also carried out a full damage survey of three representative trusses and recorded 155 findings, each classified by its relevance to structural capacity. The survey shows that the trusses still have clear residual capacity, but timber quality varies strongly from member to member, and there is localised damage, especially at the supports. From these findings, LMNTAL derived immediate measures and the further investigations needed before reuse.